


Matchmaker, Matchmaker

by meeda



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Awkward first dates, Eventual Smut, F/M, Karma is a Bitch, Lawyer Ben Solo, Making Out, Modern AU, Oral Sex, Pudding Cups, Romantic Comedy, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, ben loves love, dodgeball - Freeform, matchmaker rey, mayo-induced crushes, nutshots, rey loves stats, sabotaged dates, so are the twi'lek sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 04:22:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meeda/pseuds/meeda
Summary: Rey Niima Compatibility Application Results - NEAR PERFECT MATCHIf her brain wasn’t so busy being shocked, Rey probably could’ve calculated how much of a statistical anomaly this result truly was. There in black-and-white was the name of the unlucky bastard that had the honor of being her match: Benjamin Organa Solo.





	1. In Which Our Matchmaker Finally Meets Her Match

**Author's Note:**

> I feel awkward writing notes, but here goes...After a year of lurking Reylo fics like a perv, I finally decided to write one like an even bigger perv. Hopefully, y'all enjoy this story!
> 
> Come chat with me on twitter: @MeedaWrites

_How is that possible?_   Rey’s eyes scanned the subject line of her latest email alert again.

**_Subject: Rey Niima Compatibility Application Results - NEAR PERFECT MATCH_ **

She huffed in confusion. That application had to be 5 years old by now. Rey vaguely recalled submitting the application while troubleshooting her matchmaking software. That was back when this whole business was just a dream she’d talk about with Rose over cheap ramen. She had spent her days waiting tables and her nights huddled over her keyboard designing a software that would take all the guesswork out of finding a date. The application was simply a formality to make sure all the information fed through without a glitch. _Just a test._ Rey realized that for all these years, even with over 300 potential matches now in the system, her application had sat alone. That is, until now.

A ‘NEAR PERFECT MATCH’ was an extremely rare compatibility level; she had designed it that way. Two applications had to result in similarity levels over 90% across 5 unique personality subcategories. If her brain wasn’t so busy being shocked, Rey probably could’ve calculated how much of a statistical anomaly this result truly was. Part of her wondered why she included such a lofty result in the first place. Looking back, she could chalk it up to being young and still harboring a small amount of hope in true love. That hope had certainly gone out the door in the years since. Her fingers itched to open the email to see which unlucky bastard had the honor of being her match.

Rey clicked on the email and her eyes widened. There in black-and-white was the name of her platonic prince: Benjamin Organa Solo.

* * *

_The previous day…_

_“Rey, our three o’clock is here for his consultation appointment.”_

_“Mnnff.”_

_A smirk broke out on Rose’s round face as she adjusted the microphone on her headset so she could whisper, “You have 2 minutes to finish scarfing that sandwich before I walk him to your office.” She heard a muffled grunt and then the line went dead. Her attention went back to the man standing in the lobby._

_Across the office, Rey was competing in her own personal sandwich-eating battle royal. More than one disaster had come across her desk today and this small window was the only time she had to eat properly. After swallowing a larger-than-intended final bite, Rey wiped her mouth with a napkin and started brushing crumbs off her blouse. She had just finished making herself look presentable when a small knock announced Rose’s arrival. The door opened a crack and Rose gave a quick look inside to insure that Rey wasn’t still deep-throating her lunch. Much to her surprise, Rey was already standing by her desk ready to greet their new, potential client. Rose swung the door open fully._

_“Mr. Solo, let me introduce you to Rey Niima. She’s our Head Matchmaker. Rey will be conducting your consultation today.”_

_The man standing next to Rose had to be part yeti. He completely dwarfed Rose and it took everything in Rey’s power not to gawk. Instead, she schooled her face and subtly took in his features. Pale skin peppered with beauty marks, dark hair with a gentle wave, lush lips that some women would give up their first born to achieve without surgery. Yep, he’d be an easy one to match. His large hand reached out to take hold of Rey’s in a firm handshake, the Rolex on his wrist peeking out from under the sleeve of his designer suit._

_“Nice to meet you, Mr. Solo. Please have a seat and we’ll get started.” Rey gestured to the chair across from her desk. Rose gave them both a smile as she closed the door._

_“So, how does all this work, exactly? I’ve...uh...never used a service like this before.” His deep, baritone voice not doing much to disguise some of his nervousness._

_“Well, Rose and I designed our business a little differently compared to other matchmaking services. Those wackadoos will sell you on the accuracy of their matchmakers’ gut instincts when it comes to putting two people together. Here we prefer to take a more scientific approach,” Rey said._

_His eyebrows shot up. “What, like you’re going to have me smell clothes for pleasing pheromones or something?”_

_“Oh, god no,” Rey laughed. “No, I’m going to ask you a series of basic questions just to make sure you’d be a good fit for our services. Then, you’ll go home and fill out our Compatibility Application online. We’ll feed your answers into our software and, based on algorithms designed by yours truly, I’ll see which applicants yield a high similarity result with you. From there, I’ll act as a liaison between you and those matches to assist in setting up dates. Think of me as your personal wingwoman.”_

_“I don’t see a ring on your finger. Are you married?”_

_There it was. “No, I’m single at the moment. However, my relationship status has nothing to do with the success of our system. My algorithm determines the matches.”_

_His face remained stoic as he mulled over her answer. He cleared his throat and said, “Alright, I’m game. I’m not going to lie, your methods seem unconventional; but it’s not like I’ve been  having any luck on my own.”_

_Rey gave him a reassuring smile. “That’s what we’re here for, Mr. Solo.”_

_“Ben. Please, call me Ben. Mr. Solo sounds so…,” he waved his big hand looking for the correct word, “...stuffy.”_

_Rey found she now had to force her smile. She was being professional, not stuffy. And why did the name Ben Solo ring a bell? She shook off the awkward moment and pulled up the questions on her computer._

_“Age?”_

_“34.”_

_“Level of education?”_

_“Graduated with my undergrad from Naboo University. Then went on to complete law school at Coruscant.”_

_“Very impressive. Is it safe to say you’re still practicing?”_

_“Yes, I own my own firm specializing in family law.”_

_Suddenly, her fingers stopped typing as the realization dawned on her. “Hold on. You’re Ben Solo the divorce attorney? Like from those annoying commercials?”_

_“I’d like to think of my advertising as effective, but yes that’s me.”_

_Rey scoffed. “Effective?! You practically beg people to break up with their spouses. I’m sorry, but as a person who profits off of splitting up couples, what could you want in a matchmaking service?”_

_By the end of her rant, his shoulders were practically up to his ears. She could tell she’d pissed him off. With a surprising amount of control, Ben replied, “Like I said: I haven’t had any luck finding someone on my own. And for your information, I don’t profit off splitting up couples. Those relationships are dead in the water by the time they call me.”_

_He sighed and continued to explain himself._

_“Look, I get that people think of me as some kind of anti-cupid who gets my rocks off fucking up marriages. I don’t see it that way. To me, I’m giving people a way to let go of the past and get a second chance at finding happiness. Sure, I may have a couple clients who are on their third or fourth chance, but that’s besides the point. Everyday in court I see outbursts of passion, jealousy, even rage. Do you know where all that stems from, Rey? Love. And since we’re being frank with each other now, I’m not totally sold that love is something you can just program into a computer. However, I’m willing to give this whole thing a chance if you’re willing to get over your moral aversion to my job.”_

_Rey chewed the side of her cheek as she weighed her options. He did seem like a nice-enough guy, if she overlooked the fact that he’s the harbinger of heartbreak. Plus, she had only ever turned away prospects if something came up on their background check. The more candidates in the system, the better the algorithms worked. If he doubted her system, maybe this was her chance to prove him wrong!_

_“Ben, I’m sorry. We’d be happy to take you on as a client. I’ll email you our contract and the Compatibility Application tonight.”_

_He smiled. A genuine smile that made his eyes crinkle a bit. Wait, why was she looking at his eyes like that? Back to work! She stood from her desk and he followed suit. As Rey walked him towards the door, she said, “You’re not the first person to question my system, Ben. I can assure you that I have never had an unsuccessful match. Everybody can be boiled down to a formula. Things like attraction, passion, and love are secondary symptoms that happen once two formulas are combined to create a balanced result. The numbers don’t lie.”_

_“Has anyone ever told you that you should write romance novels?”_

_She ignored him and extended her hand for a final handshake. Ben’s hand grasped hers as his other had moved up towards her face._

_“What are you--?”_

_His thumb softly rubbed across the corner of her mouth._

_“You had a little mayo just there. It was bothering me that whole time.” His eyes bore into hers as he brought his thumb to his own mouth and gave it a quick suck. Rey’s careful composure faded away into a deep blush. Ben smirked._

_“We’re really not that different, Rey. We both profit off relationships. The only difference is that it’s my job to ensure that my clients don’t get screwed and it’s your job to make sure that they do.” With what Rey could’ve sworn was a wink, he turned and walked out her office door._

_“Prick.”_

* * *

Rey crunched the numbers again and again. There had to be a logical explanation. She checked Ben’s application, hoping he had skipped a section. Of course, it was meticulously filled out. Leave it to a lawyer to be annoyingly thorough when it comes to paperwork. According to their contract, she was required to tell him of _all_ potential matches at their next appointment. With only two other matches in the system for him, Rey was going to have a hard time glossing over the fact that one of his choices was her.

Never one to be backed into a corner, Rey began to formulate a plan.


	2. In Which Our Matchmaker Strikes a Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the wonderful feedback on the first chapter! I deadass cried a little waking up to such sweet comments. <3
> 
> Also, I think I forgot to add it in the first note, but thank you to @HouseDadam for the prompt!
> 
> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites!

“Okay, explain it to me one more time.” Rose was currently poking her fork into questionable leftovers with her feet propped up on Rey’s desk.

 

Five feet away, Rey was pacing and aggressively trying not to rip her best friend a new one for not taking this disaster more seriously. She stopped and turned towards Rose to give her an exasperated sigh.

 

“He’ll come in for his appointment in twenty minutes. I’ll show him the other two matches first and pray to all that is holy that he likes one of them enough that he doesn’t ask to see more.”

 

“Do you think this is bell pepper or jalapeno?” Rose inspected her fork as if it were a petri dish. 

 

“I am  _ freaking out _ here, Rose! Can you at least pretend to get with the program?” 

 

Rose stilled her fork and looked up with a smirk. “Have you stopped to consider that maybe this is a blessing in disguise? From what I saw yesterday, he seems like a catch. He’s cute, charming, his check cleared today so at least you know he makes bank. Plus, based on the shit-eating grin he had on his face after he walked out of your office, I’d venture to guess that he might be into you.”

 

Rey scoffed. “I am  _ not _ dating a client. Especially not this one.”

 

“Rey, how long has it been since you’ve gone on a real date? You’ve dedicated the past few years to helping other people find their happy endings. Isn’t it time you do the same for yourself?”

 

If she was being honest, Rey couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out with a guy. Most of her time was spent at the office or at work events. Between meeting new clients, teaching dating etiquette classes, setting up dates, and troubleshooting the system, she barely had a moment for herself. 

 

“I’m still focusing on my career,” Rey replied lamely. 

 

“Bullshit. But I’m going to let it slide, for now, because you have to get ready for a  _ very important _ meeting,” Rose said. 

* * *

He was texting on his phone as Rey walked into the conference room. Rey couldn’t figure out how Ben managed to fit himself into the chair. His knees sat slightly too high and his feet were scrunched under the legs. He was trying very hard not to take up too much space. It was almost endearing.  _ Almost. _

 

Seeing his fingers wrap around his phone reminded her of the last time she was in the same room as those fingers. Last time, Rey had not been prepared for the enigma known as Ben Solo. He’d found it amusing to flirt with her as a means of payback for her insult, she was sure. This time, she knew what she was facing. This time, she was on a mission. 

 

Rey walked through the door of the conference room meaning business. “Thank you so much for waiting, Ben. I think you’ll be impressed with your matches -- all high-yielding results,” she said taking a seat near him at the conference table and pulling up her presentation on the projector screen. 

 

“We’ll see.” Ben placed his phone down, amusement playing on his features. 

 

Clearing her throat, Rey began her spiel. “Your application matched with three women in our system. For all three, your compatibility score was over 75%. If, for some reason, you don’t want to move forward with any of these three, I can adjust the benchmark and pull lower scores for you. No client has ever needed us to do that, though. I’ve found that the numbers sometimes know us better than we know ourselves.” 

 

She could’ve sworn she saw him roll his eyes, but Ben sat quietly and let her continue.

 

“Your first match is Kaydel Connix,” Rey said as she pulled up Kaydel’s profile. A pair of dark, doe-like eyes appeared on the projector screen. Ben sat up a little straighter. “You two have a 77% compatibility score. She’s an aerospace engineer. Her favorite band is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Kaydel also enjoys a dry martini with olives.”

 

“Yuck!”

 

“Ben, if you don’t find her attractive, there are more polite ways to tell me.”

 

He chuckled. “I was reacting to the olives. I hate olives.”

 

“Oh, well, that’s actually a good sign. Like I told you the other day: it’s all about balance. Just imagine that Kaydel might be the person who will happily eat your unwanted olives for the rest of your life,” Rey said.

 

He leaned in closer to her with a playful smile on his lips.  _ Ugh, stop looking at his lips!  _

 

“Careful, Rey. You’re starting to sound like us romantics.” Ben held her gaze. A moment later, he was leaning back in his seat, throwing his arms behind his head. “She seems promising.”

 

“Great! I can let Kaydel know that you’re interested and we can schedule your-”

 

“Whoa, slow down! Don’t I get to see the others? I’d like to know all of my options before moving forward.”

 

_ Crap.  _ “Y-yes. Of course, you can see all the options. Sorry, I just got excited.” Rey nervously tucked a piece of hair that had fallen out of her bun back into place.  _ Crap, crap, crap! _

 

“Don’t apologize. Who’s next?”

 

“Gwen Phasma.” Rey pulled up Gwen’s profile. “You and Gwen have a compatibility score of 83%. She’s 30, so a little closer to your age. Gwen owns a franchise of state-of-the-art gyms in town. Fun fact: you two are also the same height.”

 

Ben nodded as he looked at the regal-looking blonde on the screen. “Hmm, our basketball team would be unbeatable.” He brought his arms down and rested his elbows on the table. “Alright, I’d be willing to meet her, too. Show me the last one.” 

 

Rey’s heart began to pound in her chest.  _ Would Rose be mad if she got up right now, packed up her office, and never came back? _   She took a deep breath and steeled her nerves. “This last match and you have a 97% compatibility score. A near perfect match.”

 

A low whistle escaped Ben’s lips.  _ Those damn lips, again! _

 

“She’s 27, owns a small business with her best friend, and…,” Rey pressed a button on her laptop. In a second, her face was the one on the screen.

 

“...she’s me.”

 

The only sound in the room was the hum of the projector. Rey felt her cheeks blush as Ben’s eyes flicked between her and the picture of her illuminated against the wall, his mouth agape in shock. He gave his head a small shake and began to laugh.

 

Rey glared at him as he continued to laugh at her. “Look, I don’t expect you to actually consider  _ me _ as a prospect. I had an old application in the system, we matched, and there's a clause in the contract that requires me to show you _all_ of your matches. This was just a formality.”

 

“So, when are you free?”

 

Her brows creased in confusion. “Free? Free for what?”

 

“For our first date,” Ben said, his eyes no longer full of laughter. 

 

Now, it was Rey’s turn to stare at him in shock. “You can’t be serious.”

 

Ben stood up and slowly walked around to her chair. His hands found purchase on the armrests on either side of her as he leaned down to meet her gaze. “Oh, I’m very serious. I paid the equivalent of a down payment on a Ford Focus for you to help me find someone and I intend to get my money’s worth. It’d be a piss-poor investment on my part to pass up going on a date with my near perfect match.”

 

A smile broke out on his face, “Besides, what was it you said the other day? The numbers don’t lie. For all we know, we’re meant to be.”

 

Rey wanted to punch him in the throat for throwing her words back in her face. She probably would have if she wasn’t currently being pinned in her chair by the yeti with a law degree. From this proximity, she could smell the spicy and sweet notes of his cologne. It was enough to make her a little dizzy. Rey took a calming breath and schooled her features. 

 

“How about we negotiate, Ben? I hear you’re pretty good at it. I’ll go on a date with you, but  _ only if  _ you go on dates with Kaydel and Gwen first. Don’t forget, they paid the same fee as you did. They should get their money’s worth, too.”

 

Ben considered her for a moment before standing back up, allowing her to stand. He exhaled deeply and said, “Deal. I’ll meet with the other two first. I have to be in court in an hour, so I’ve got to run. Should I just expect an email with details on the dates or...”

 

Rey smirked. “You can expect an email on when your mandatory dating etiquette class will be scheduled.”

 

His eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. “Mandatory what now?!”

 

“Did you not read the contract? Before any dates can happen, you have to attend one dating etiquette class. It’s only an hour, but we cover all the basics like not imposing on your date’s personal space without consent.” She made sure to raise an eyebrow to emphasize that last point. “If you pass the class, then we schedule your dates.” She lifted her chin to challenge him. 

 

Ben’s eyes were bright with frustration as he breathed slowly through his nose. “Fine. Let me know when and I’ll make time for the class.”

 

Rey smiled, knowing she had won this round. 

 

Ben grabbed his phone off of the table. “Come to think of it, I could use a refresher. I would hate to leave a bad first impression, like having mayonnaise on my face or something.” With a pointed look at her now shocked expression, he was out the door before she could retort.

 

_ Oh, you’re going to pay for that one, Solo. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you're ready to yeet Ben straight into the sun!
> 
> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites!


	3. In Which Our Matchmaker Attends a Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose plays matchmaker, Ben plays footsies, and Rey plays herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the chapter count has gone up! I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to these idiots in 5 chapters so....*shrugs* 
> 
> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites!

Rose adjusted the tray of cookies while Rey set down cream and sugar for the coffee. After years of working together, they had the preparations for these Saturday morning classes down to a science. Four tables covered in white tablecloths and traditional cutlery sat in the middle of the room. Two chairs for each table. Rey insisted on only 8 clients per class -- the perfect small group environment that encouraged undivided attention without making clients feel overwhelmed. She was thankful that Rose volunteered to teach today for two reasons. One, Rey desperately needed to push through some last-minute updates to their software before she headed home to get ready for the wedding. The second reason came walking into the room just as Rey turned around.

Ben was wearing a rich, blue suit, dark sunglasses, and a scowl. He removed his sunglasses and glanced around the room before heading towards the coffee. Rey and Rose stood aside and watched him pour himself a cup. Rose gave Rey a not-so-subtle nudge on her side.

“Bless you, ladies, for providing the nectar of the gods.” He lifted the cup of black coffee to his lips, gave Rose and Rey a quick nod and went to sit down at one of the tables. _He must not be a morning person._

After a few minutes, the other clients began to filter in and take their seats. Rose made her way to the front of the room. “Thank you, everybody, for rolling out of bed this early on a Saturday. If you didn’t already know, my name is Rose and, lucky for you all, I’ll be leading the class today. You should each be sitting with a partner. As we go through the lessons, you’ll act out scenarios with your partner.”

Ben lazily raised his hand. “I seem to be missing my partner.” Rey was almost out of the room, but she whipped her head around at that.

“Oh, my apologies, Mr. Solo.” Rose's voice was slightly higher than normal and she enunciated each word a little too much. She grabbed a clipboard and gave it a dramatic once over. “Hmm, it looks like I miscounted my invites. I left you flying solo!” Rose chuckled to herself. Rey squinted at her from across the room. _What the hell was she up to?_

“Not to worry! Rey can sit in and be your partner,” Rose said staring at Rey. All eyes turned to look at her in the back of the room. Her first instinct was to come up with an excuse and bolt, but she couldn’t risk making the company look bad. Rey was backed into a corner. She locked eyes with Ben and, for the first time that morning, he looked happy to be there.

Rey plastered a fake smile on her face and walked over to sit with Ben at the table. Ben stood up and pulled out her chair. As she sat down, he leaned in to whisper softly in her ear, “Consider this practice for our first date.” His breath was warm against her neck. Rey shot Ben a glare and jostled her chair so it landed on his toe with a loud thud. He stifled a pained groan.

Rose’s voice carried across the room, “What a gentleman! Other dudes in the room, take note. Okay, let’s get started…”

* * *

The first half of the class went relatively smoothly, much to Rey’s surprise. Rose went over basic table manners and the whole time Ben kept to himself. He picked up on the lesson quickly. Anytime Rose called on him to answer a question, he got it correct. It was infuriating.

“...and _that’s_ why it’s so important to know the difference between an oyster fork and a dessert fork!” Rose laughed to herself, shaking her head. “Alrighty, now for the fun part. For the rest of the class, we’ll be practicing dinner conversation. You’ll see note cards on your tables with conversation prompts. Go through those with your partner. Pay attention to your tone and body language.”

Rey cleared her throat, grabbed the stack of note cards, and tapped them against the table to straighten them out. Ben eyed her movements.

“Can we just talk or are we slaves to the cards?” Ben asked. Rey finally looked up at him. He had his arm resting on the back of his chair, one leg crossed over the other. She had to admit he was wearing the shit out of that suit. _Why was he so dressed up anyways?_ Rey laid the cards back down on the table.

“The cards are to help those who have trouble opening up. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything for those who need help shutting up.” Rey said lightly, the fake smile still on her face.

Ben laughed. “Fine, then ask me a question so I can make myself look good. I still have to pass this damn thing so I can take you out.”

Rey sighed and leaned her elbows on the table. Ben straightened his legs under the table and leaned in, as well. “Okay, there is one thing I’m curious about. How do you know so damn much about table settings?”

“One of the many perks of having a politician as a mother. She made me take etiquette courses, dance lessons, and hired a small army of language tutors to prepare me for a life in politics. I was dragged to every state dinner and charity gala she attended. If she had it her way, I would be running for Senate.” Ben absentmindedly twirled his salad fork between his fingers as he spoke.

Rey’s brows lifted in interest. “I take it your mom wasn’t pleased with your career choice?”

“That’s putting it lightly. We haven’t spoken in years,” Ben said. His voice was a little tighter than normal.

“Oh, so _that_ explains why you can’t get women to date you. You have mommy issues!”

His eyes snapped to hers. “I never said I couldn’t get women to date me. All I said was that I was having trouble finding someone. Work has been taking up most of my free time.” Rey felt a nudge against her ankle under the table, but her eyes were glued to Ben’s. He lowered his voice. “Believe me, Rey, when I want something I will do anything to get it. Right now, all I want is you.”

That nudge slowly worked up from her ankle to her calf. Rubbing softly up and down. Her breath hitched when she realized it was Ben’s foot. Heat flooded her cheeks.

“Jeez, you two flew through those prompts!” Rey almost jumped out of her skin when Rose appeared over her shoulder. “I have to say, Mr. Solo. I’m very impressed. Safe to say you passed.”

Ben continued to rub Rey’s leg under the table. He flashed a smile. “I had a feeling I would.”

Rey’s chair screeched across the floor as she got up quickly. “Actually, he fails!”

Before Ben or Rose could speak, Rey was walking away.

* * *

The wedding was spectacular. White silk and twinkling lights surrounded Poe and Finn’s guests as soft music played. Sitting at a table nursing her third glass of champagne, Rey looked out to the dancefloor to watch the happy couple. Seeing their eyes filled with love almost made her forget how sorry she was feeling for herself.

After storming out of the class this morning, Rey rushed home full of frustration. She cursed Ben the entire time she was curling her hair and squeezing into her dress. It had been a long time since a man had affected her like Ben did and, if she was being honest, it scared her shitless. Sitting at that table with him as he smiled like he had already won her sent her into a tailspin. Looking back now, failing him from the class was a bit drastic. It wasn’t fair to keep Ben from meeting Kaydel and Gwen just to protect herself from... _from what? Falling for him?_

“Is this seat taken?”

Rey looked up and was met with a pair of familiar eyes. Eyes that had been smiling at her earlier that day.

“What? Are you stalking me now, Ben?”

Ben plopped himself down next to her, a half-drunk whiskey in his right hand. “Don’t flatter yourself. I have an invite. Poe and I are old family friends. It seems congratulations are in order.”

Rey snorted. “For what?”

“Isn’t this whole wedding thanks to you. You are the one who set them up, right?” Ben took a sip from his glass.

“How did you know that?”

“Poe told me when he gave me the info for the dating service.”

Rey let a slow breath out of her nose. _Of course._ “Yes, Poe and Finn were one of our first matches that resulted from my algorithm. I remember I was so nervous for their first date. Probably more than they were, to be honest.” She took another sip of her champagne.

“Well, they seem very happy.”

They fell into an uncomfortable silence, watching the other couples dance and laugh. Rey worried her bottom lip, gathering up courage for what she was about to say. She took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry for overreacting earlier today. I shouldn’t have failed you.”

His brow furrowed. “Rey, if I made you feel uncomfortable today, I’m sorry. Usually, I’m better at picking up signals. When you left, I felt terrible.” Ben looked down at his shoes.

“Apology accepted. I’m just...not used to getting attention like that.” Rey downed the rest of her champagne and waved over a server for another.

They drank in silence until Ben set down his drink and regarded her again. The band started playing a slow song. He stood up and held out his hand to her. “Do you want to dance?”

Rey didn’t know if it was the fourth champagne or Ben finally dropping his charismatic facade, but she placed her hand in his and let him lead her to the dancefloor. His hand curled around her waist and she moved her hand up to rest against his shoulder. Ben swayed them slowly to the rhythm. He looked down at her gently.

“How did you get into all this? The matchmaking. Did you watch Parent Trap one too many times?” He twirled her and brought her back to his arms.

Rey was feeling dizzy from the spin, definitely not the champagne. “Not exactly. My parents put me up for adoption when I was young, so I grew up in the foster system. I was a really lonely kid. Didn’t stay in the same place too long. But, being on the outside looking in helped me learn to observe people.” She rested her cheek against his chest.

“I met Rose in college and we sort of made it a game to see if we could set our friends up at parties. We got good at it -- very good. After graduation, we decided to start up the business.”

“You’re dedicating your life to help others feel less lonely. That’s honorable of you.” Ben’s cheek rested against the top of her head. “Where did the algorithm idea come from?”

“In grade school, I fell in love with mathematics. Numbers are predictable. Constant. I could rely on numbers and formulas. Once Rose and I decided to go into business, we agreed it was wise to invest in building out a software that took our knowledge of matchmaking and combined it with statistics.”

Ben shifted so his lips grazed her ear and whispered, “And what about chemistry?”

Before she could speak, the music stopped. The room was still spinning. Rey placed her palm against her cheek. “I think that champagne is getting on top of me. I should call an Uber and head home.”

“I could drive you.” Ben steadied her as they walked back to the table.

“No, no. It’s fine, thank you.” She took her clutch off the table and spun back to look at him.  “I’m not giving up on your happy ending, just yet, Solo. I’ll talk to Rose tomorrow about the class.”

“Oh, there’s no need. After you left, Rose said she would compromise. She said something about a Dating Assistance Program?”

A giggle escaped Rey’s lips before she could control it. Ben looked at her with caution.

“Rey, why is that so funny?” He tried to ask but she already had her back turned, still giggling as she headed toward the front. Her curls bounced as she turned to call out over her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, Solo. All that matters is that you’re going to hate it.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites


	4. In Which Our Matchmaker Lends A Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date #1: Kaydel Connix. Rey gets hot n' bothered. Ben causes a scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites!

“You two want me to go on this date...wearing a wire?”

Ben had been on pins and needles waiting to find out what the Dating Assistance Program would entail. He had imagined it involved sitting in a classroom with Rey as she flipped through flashcards quizzing him on polite dinner conversation. Maybe he also imagined said classroom having no A/C, so Rey had to unbutton her first few buttons, sweat dripping down her throat and between her breasts.  He certainly hadn’t imagined it would actually entail hiding in a coat room with Rey and Rose at La Cantina ten minutes before he was supposed to meet Kaydel.

Rey crossed her arms smugly and said, “Oh, it’s standard protocol for our _special cases_ such as yourself. I’m sorry, Ben, but it seems like your years of ending relationships have severely affected your ability to start one on your own. The wire allows us to listen in on your date and correct you in real time when you start to nosedive.” 

As Rey spoke, Rose pulled a mass of wires out of her bag and fumbled to straighten them out. She sighed and smiled apologetically, “Rey means ‘if’ you nosedive.” 

Ben quirked an eyebrow. He highly doubted that. “Sure.”

Rose handed Rey a slightly smaller mass of wires and some other items that Ben couldn’t recognize. “Okay, I’m going to hide the camera in the centerpiece on the table before Kaydel gets here. Rey, can you finish wiring Ben up, please?” Ben didn’t notice the wink Rose shot their way before heading out of the coat room. 

“Hidden cameras, too? Is this a dating service or the CIA?” Ben nervously ran a hand through his hair, combing the dark waves out of his eyes. Rey was standing much closer to him now. 

“Time to strip for me, Ben,” she said.

“What?!” His eyes went wide and his heart began to race. 

Her eyes slowly raked him over from head to toe. “You heard me. Get naked, Mr. Solo.” Ben’s jaw dropped. _She can’t be serious!_

Rey giggled and shrugged. “Wow, you should’ve seen the look on your face just now! Consider that payback for the footsie move you pulled the other day. I actually just need you to take off your jacket and shirt so I can tape on the wire.”

Ben rolled his eyes, shrugged off his jacket, and began to loosen the buttons on his shirt. Her eyelashes fluttered against her freckled cheek as she looked down to busy herself with the last of the wires. A slight blush began to creep up her neck. The room began to feel warmer for them both. Rey slowly let her eyes drift back up towards Ben. 

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the expanse of Ben’s chest. _He isn’t a yeti; he’s an Adonis!_ His pale skin was smooth and lightly kissed with beauty marks. Rey’s eyes traced from his large shoulders, across his chest and down to his abdomen. She imagined what it would feel like to trace her fingers along the sculpted lines of his sides to meet just above his belt. Would he stop her from reaching her hand down into -- 

“Earth to Rey! Is everything okay?” Rey’s eyes shot up to see Ben staring at her confused. 

“Yes! I was just...trying to figure out the best place to tape the microphone.” That blush from earlier traveled across her cheeks and up to her forehead. She nervously tucked some hair behind her ear and avoided his gaze yet again. Rey couldn’t believe she’d just gawked at him like a horny teenager. 

Ben watched trepidatiously has Rey added tape to the wire and stepped towards him. Her hands seemed to be shaking as she pressed the cool plastic to the middle of his chest and rubbed slowly from side to side to help the tape stick. The warmth of Rey’s touch was gone too soon as she took a step around him and helped place the battery pack in his back belt loop, easily hidden when his jacket was on.

“There we go. You can put your shirt back on now.” _Please, for my sanity._

Ben pouted as he tucked his shirt back into his slacks. “I feel like a lame James Bond.” 

Rey gave a small laugh. “You wish you were as smooth as James Bond.” She handed him a small earpiece that would hide snugly inside his ear. He pulled some of his hair forward to help conceal it. 

“Your microphone and the camera that Rose planted will feed directly into my phone. I won’t be able to see much of your surroundings; it’ll be just you. If things start to go sideways, I can talk to you through the earpiece. You ready, _Agent Solo_?” 

* * *

**[Stand up straight and smile. I can’t see your face yet, but I know you’re scowling.]**

Ben had barely made it two steps into the hallway leading to the dining area before the earpiece buzzed into life. He worked his jaw in annoyance and tried to soften his features. “Thanks for the tip.” As he continued to walk down the corridor, Ben saw a server coming his way. Ben began to formulate a plan, but he needed time and Rey out of his ear. Tilting his head down towards the microphone, Ben whispered, “Hey, Rey, this might be a little awkward. But, before I go in there, I...uh...need to take a leak.”

**[Ugh, gross. Okay, I’ll turn off the sound feed for a couple minutes. Be quick about it though; I don’t want you to keep Kaydel waiting. And wash your hands!]**

Ben grinned and waved down the server in the hall. When he was sure the line was turned off, he pulled out a $100 bill out of his jacket pocket. Holding the money between two fingers, he asked the server, “How’d you like to make a great tip tonight?”

Rey’s phone dinged with a text from Rose saying she was headed back to the office. Some last-minute meeting she had forgotten about. _Figures._ After waiting a polite 3 minutes, Rey turned the audio feed back on. She didn’t hear any water running, so she assumed he was finished with his business.

**[All set, Ben?]**

“Yep! I’m walking into the dining room now, Aphrodite.” Ignoring the nickname, Rey settled back to watch the video feed of the table. He sounded much happier that he had a few minutes ago. Maybe this wasn’t going to be such a disaster after all.

She heard Kaydel and Ben make polite introductions before she saw Ben sit down in his seat. Rey had to give him credit where credit was due, he looked relaxed and engaged, like he had been looking forward to this conversation all day. Ben looked like that once before at Poe and Finn’s wedding. When he was looking at her. But this time, he was looking at Kaydel. A small bubble of jealousy began to bloom in her chest, but Rey quickly brushed it off as silly nonsense. _I’m probably just touchy because I’m hungry._

With pleasantries taken care of, Ben asked Kaydel about her job as an aerospace engineer. Kaydel started to describe the difference between aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering when Rey spotted plates being set down at the table.

**[Ben, why is the server bringing you food? You two haven’t ordered yet…]**

“I hope you don’t mind, Kaydel, but I took the liberty of ordering for us earlier. I have an in with the chef,” Ben said as he winked at the server who he learned was named Mitaka. 

Mitaka handed Ben a handful of small paper packets. “Your wet wipes, sir.” With a nod, Ben took the packets and slid his plate in front of him. Rey gasped. 

**[Are those...barbecue ribs?! Ben, for the love of god, do NOT eat those on a first date!]**

Ben grabbed a rib and took a large bite. With the food barely chewed in his mouth, he started to talk. In fact, he didn't stop talking unless it was to take another bite. Barbecue sauce was smeared all over his face as he waxed poetically about some girl who dumped him in college. 

**[BEN! Stop talking with your mouth full and wipe your face! You look like a fucking pig!]**

“Then, she started dating my roommate. I had to listen to them making out in the top bunk while I tried to sleep. Eventually, I had to hunt for new places to catch some shut eye. I started renting out a study room in the library to hole up in and cry myself to sleep. To this day, I can’t walk into a library without getting teary-eyed.” Ben finished by chomping on a bone. 

Back in the coat room, Rey was clutching her phone and seething. The bastard was ignoring her! 

“You haven’t touched your food, Kay. Everything okay?”

“Oh, it looks fine, but I’m actually a vegan, so I can’t eat any of this.”

Ben threw the bone down on his plate. “What?! You’re vegan and they served you meat anyways? What kind of establishment is this?” His voice carried across the dining area. Rey bet that, without the earpiece, she would’ve been able to hear him from her hiding spot. She saw Ben stand from the table and toss his napkin down. 

“Ben, it's really not that big of a deal. I can just order something else.” Kaydel’s voice sounded unamused.

**[Don’t cause a scene, Ben!]**

“Mitaka, care to explain how my date was served meat when she is, very clearly, a vegan?” 

Voice shaking, Mitaka answered, “Um...well, sir...you did order ribs for two. I assumed it was for you and the lady to share.” 

“Oh, so this is _my_ fault?! I’ve never experienced such shabby service in my life! For the exorbitant prices you charge here, I would expect you to inquire about my date’s dietary needs _before_ serving her!”

**[Remember when I told you not to cause a scene? I meant do the exact opposite of what you’re doing now!]**

Kaydel spoke up again. “I really don’t mind ordering something else. Please, just let go of his shirt and sit back down.”

“LET ME HANDLE THIS, WOMAN!” Rey could tell the entire dining room had gone silent at Ben’s final outburst. After a few tense seconds, Rey heard Kaydel’s voice. 

“You know what? I think I will. Hopefully everyone here enjoys your public display of toxic masculinity, because I’m not going to stick around to watch it any longer. I’ll call Rose and tell her this didn’t work out.” With that, Kaydel walked out and Ben loosened his grip on Mitaka’s shirt. He silently mouthed a ‘thank you’ to the server as he smoothed out the wrinkles on the man's shirt. 

**[Benjamin Solo, get your ass back in this coat room RIGHT NOW!!]**

With a final clap on the shoulder, Ben turned from Mitaka and started making his way back to the hallway. A spring in his step and a smug grin on face. One date down, one more to go...if he survives the epic lecture Rey has waiting for him. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites!


	5. In Which Our Matchmaker Gets The Last Laugh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date #2: Gwen Phasma.   
> Rey gets to vent, Ben plays along, and karma is a bitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Bonnie for helping inspire parts of Date #2!   
> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)

Ben had only been truly scared twice in his life. Once, when he was 13 and his mother asked him to introduce her during one of her campaign rallies. His palms were sweaty and his blazer didn’t fit him because nothing  _ ever _ fit him right anymore. He had to get through a 3-page speech without his voice cracking, which seemed impossible given that he could barely make it through the pledge of allegiance without an errant squeak escaping him. Cameras were flashing in his eyes and the crowd seemed so big. The whole speech, he could feel his ears heating up with pubescent embarrassment. Ben somehow made it through the speech without completely disgracing himself or his mother.

The second time was right after he stepped back into the coat room. Rey’s eyes were narrowed and her cheeks were flushed. The wires that were once connected to her phone were now laying abandoned on the floor, torn into pieces. When she heard him walk in, she whirled her entire body around to stomp up to him.  _ Oh god, she’s going to kill me. _

“What in the hell were you thinking?!”

Ben's mouth opened, but he could barely force a word out. “Um...I ju-”

“No! That was a rhetorical question. You don’t get to talk right now. I get to yell at you!” Rey’s manicured finger dug into his chest as she pointedly emphasized each sentence by applying pressure.

“Do you realize that not only did you embarrass that poor girl out there in front of everyone, but you just put my entire reputation as a matchmaker at stake?! Kaydel paid a pretty penny to use my services, just like you did. She signed a contract, just like you did. And she showed up here today thinking she was going to have a normal first date with Benjamin Organa Solo: Attorney and Heir to the Organa Political Dynasty. A fucking  _ catch _ ! Instead, she was forced to sit with Boo Hoo Ben: Human Disaster and Barbecue Rib Enthusiast with a flair for showmanship!” 

Rey paused and took a couple deep breaths while she stared up at him. Ben sighed in relief.  _ She’s probably gotten it all out her system.  _ His lips parted in preparation to offer an apology, but he was quickly cut off by Rey’s second wind.

“I mean, right now, Kaydel is probably sitting in the back of her Uber writing us a scathing  one-star review and contacting her lawyer to see if she can sue us for false advertising! Rose and I will have to do hours of damage control to clean up  _ your _ mess!” She pinched her brow in irritation and began to breathe deeply again. Ben vaguely heard her counting down from ten. Rey’s eyes slowly opened and looked him up and down. Her expression had changed; it wasn’t necessarily softer, but the heat in her eyes seemed...different to Ben.

“Speaking of messes,” she said softly, “you’re still covered in sauce. It’s all over your shirt.” He could feel the heat of her body as she stepped even closer to him and began to unbutton his shirt. Ben’s breath hitched. All that yelling must’ve worked her up in more ways than one. If she was in the mood, he was more than willing to oblige. Though, he did harbor some regret about his actions in hindsight. As her fingers worked his shirt open at a glacial pace, Ben gently regarded her.

“Rey, I truly am sorry about what I did out there. You’re right, I didn’t think about the consequences. I was just trying to get Kaydel to call the date off so that I could be one date closer to going out with you.”

Rey’s eyes widened at his confession, but her fingers didn't stop. She almost had the entire thing open now, exposing his chest to her hungry gaze. 

“Also, don’t worry about damage control. I’ll apologize to Kaydel personally and tell her that’s not my normal dating style. You and Rose shouldn’t have to fix my mistake.” Ben’s voice had gone a bit deeper after watching Rey tease open his shirt like that. Rey nodded silently. He felt the warmth of her hands press low against his stomach, causing delicious heat to rush towards his groin. Ben swallowed heavily, not willing to question Rey’s sudden interest. Rey lifted up on her tiptoes and her breath fanned gently against his lips as her hands worked higher up onto his pecs. His eyes closed in anticipation for what was to come. 

“Rey, I - OW!” Ben flailed and pain bloomed across his chest as the thick tape that was holding his mic in place was quickly ripped off of his skin. He looked down to see his chest missing a few hairs and Rey looking smug. She had taken a couple steps away from him and was twirling the mic wire around her fingers. 

“I suddenly feel much better,” Rey sighed. “You’re damn right you’ll apologize to Kaydel. That’s the least she deserves. Now, we need to talk about what to do moving forward. I have half a mind to give you your money back, void our contract, and send you back to the land of broken couples. Unless you have a better idea.” 

Ben was still rubbing the sore spot on his chest as he said, “Okay, I probably deserved that. There’s no need to void our contact, Rey. I’ll make it up to Kaydel, somehow, and I’ll take the next date with Gwen seriously. No more sabotage. If we hit it off, great. If we don’t, then you and I can give it a shot. Please, give me a chance to prove that I’m sincere about this.”

Rey crossed her arms and regarded him for a moment before nodding. “Alright, our deal still stands. But, I’m not giving you any more chances to mess this up. This time, I’m in charge of every little detail.” 

 

* * *

 

A couple days later, Ben pulled up to the address Rey had texted him.

_ Be there at 2:45pm. Don’t be late and please wear comfortable clothes. Eat beforehand, but no barbecue this time, Solo.  _

At first, Ben was suspicious. He wondered for a second if all of this was worth it. His mind went back to how she felt swaying in his arms when they danced at Poe’s wedding. He remembered how close she was to kissing him in the coat room the other day (even if it was technically a distraction tactic for payback.)  _ Yep, she’s worth it.  _

Ben parked his car and began to walk into the building. Stepping through the doors, he realized it was a gym. Looking around, he began to notice that there was an abundance of women. It became very obvious to Ben that this gym was filled with only women. He saw a sign on the wall that said, “Female Identifying Clients and Personnel Only.” His stomach dropped, thinking he had driven to the wrong place. He reached for his phone to text Rey, but stopped when he saw her standing by the front desk with the statuesque blonde. He recognized her instantly.

“Ben, please allow me to introduce you to Gwen Phasma.” Gwen held out her hand and Ben shook it firmly.

“Gwen, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Rey tells me you own gyms around town. Is this one of them,” Ben asked. 

Gwen’s full lips broke into a wide smile. “Yes, this is one of six. My pride and joys. They’re a safe space for women to get fit without the added pressure of the male gaze. Typically, we don’t allow men, but today I’m willing to make an exception.” Rey and Gwen shared a small moment of eye contact before looking back over to Ben. 

He ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I’m honored to be allowed where no man has gone before. So, what’s the plan for us today? A couple’s spa treatment or something?”

Rey smiled. “Not exactly, Solo.” 

Gwen grabbed a large red ball off the counter with one hand and gave it a loud smack with the other. “Dodgeball.” 

“Excuse me?” Ben’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. 

“My dodgeball league has a game here today. I’m team captain and I’d like you to play on my team. I find that you can really get to know someone’s true character when they are in the throes of competitive combat.” Gwen kept smacking the ball as she spoke, causing Ben to flinch. Rey’s face appeared behind her shoulder. 

“Doesn’t that sound like fun, Solo? It was all Gwen’s idea! I asked if I could stay and watch you two play! The teams are supposed to be really good. I’m gonna be on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens.” Both women laughed and Ben bit his lip to keep back a retort.  _ She’s worth it. She’s worth it.  _

Ben swallowed his pride and said, “Sounds like a blast! Lead the way, Captain Phasma.” 

They walked through the facility until they reached a set of large, double doors. Gwen spun to face Ben, their noses almost touching. “Put your game face on, Ben.” She kicked back her leg against the doors, causing them to swing open. “Welcome to the Thunderdome!” 

Ben was greeted with the sight of a large, state-of-the-art basketball court filled with athletic women preparing for the game. Two groups were gathered on opposite sides of the gym. They were all laid out on the floor doing various stretches. The others were sitting in the bleachers waiting for the game to start. Gwen pointed to the group at the far end of the gym, indicating that was her team and made her way over to them. Before he could turn and run back to his car, Rey took Ben’s arm. 

“Best behavior, Solo. That’s what you promised me. Remember, I’ll be watching.” Rey smiled and gave his back a pat. Then, she took her seat in the front row of the bleachers. Ben groaned and jogged over to join his team. 

“Ladies, this is Ben Solo. He’s going to fill in for Jyn today.” Gwen placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at the women harshly. “Be nice to him.” Ben gave a small wave to the other ladies of the team. 

“Hi there, Ben. Nice headband.” One woman said with a little laugh. Ben could feel his cheeks get warm.  _ She’s worth it. She’s worth it. _

A whistle blew in the distance indicating it was time for them to get in position. As balls were laid along the middle of the gym floor, each team walked over to their prospective wall and placed their fingers on it, bodies positioned to start running at the next whistle. Ben took the tense moment to look over the other team. Scanning the wall, he noticed many women who were tall and broad, much like Gwen. His eyes landed on a smaller woman, her hair tied up in a high ponytail and two imposing, black stripes painted on the top of her cheeks. “Kaydel?!” 

The whistle blew and both teams made a mad dash to the middle of the gym to grab balls. Ben didn’t get a great head start and ended up empty-handed. Red balls flew passed his head and body at blinding speed. 

“Aim for the dude! He’s big! Easy target!” A voice that sounded a lot like Rey’s echoed from the crowd. 

He needed to catch a ball if he was going to have any chance. Ben’s wishes were granted when a ball landed square in his chest. He wrapped his arms around it to keep it close to his body. He shifted so he could hold it snug between both his hands.. Any ball that came near him, he could now ricochet it away from him. 

Minutes went by and the number of players on the floor began to dwindle as they were pelted with balls and sent to the sidelines to sit out. Ben looked around and realized he was the only one left on his team still on the floor. There were two women left on the other team, a tall brunette and Kaydel. Ben needed to even the playing field, literally. He glanced at the ball that had been keeping him safe, so far. His arm reeled back and he aimed the ball for the tall brunette’s thigh. She tried to jump out of the way, but the ball managed to hit her hip. She stomped to the sidelines, leaving Ben and Kaydel in a standoff. 

Kaydel had a ball in her hand and she pointed it right at Ben in a warning. Her teammates began cheering her on.  _ I’m fucked.  _

Gwen’s voice carried across the gym. “Come on, Ben! Eyes on the prize! Hustle, hustle, hustle!” 

Having thrown his ball already, Ben was at a disadvantage. He would have to find a ball lying on the ground, requiring he take his eyes off Kaydel. No, he would let her throw first, he would dodge, and then he’d hunt for a ball. With his knees slightly bent, ready to jump, he looked Kaydel in the eyes. “Give me your best shot.” 

She pulled her arm back to wind up for the throw. A primitive screech came from her lips and she threw the ball with all her strength. Ben watched the ball as it hurtled through the air at a breakneck speed. It was headed for his right side, so he jumped up and to the left. The crowd gasped as he vaulted into the air. Suddenly, the ball began to curve.

Ben felt a white-hot flash of pain as the ball collided with his dick with the force of a mack truck before he crumpled to the floor. Then, everything went dark. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)


	6. In Which Our Matchmaker Goes On A Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben wakes up, Rey agrees to a date, and they both eat pudding cups.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)

When Ben came to, he was laying on the gym floor. The three women who had turned his life upside-down were all looking down at him. Kaydel gave him an apologetic smile. Gwen was looking down her nose as if she was rather unimpressed with his performance in the game. Rey’s brows were furrowed with concern as she looked him over and held an ice pack against the back of his head. He felt a chill between his legs and realized someone had placed an ice pack there, as well.  

Ben opened his mouth to speak, but Kaydel got there first. “Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. Sorry about that last throw, but now we can say we’re even.” She lightly patted his cheek, nodded a goodbye to the other two women, and left. 

With a groan, Ben sat up. Gwen clapped him on the shoulder. “It was a valiant effort, Benny Boy. Sorry to say but, after an embarrassing display like that, I’m just not interested in you romantically anymore. No hard feelings?” 

“None at all,” Ben managed to croak out. Gwen stood and began collecting the balls leftover from the game. The crowd had cleared out rather quickly after the team’s loss. Rey was still looking at Ben and worrying her lip. 

“Stop looking at me like that, Rey. I’m fine.” He tried his best to subtly adjust the ice pack on his aching balls.

“Ben, I’m so sorry, this is all my fault! After I left the restaurant the other day, I called Gwen and told her everything about what you did. She said she’d rather not meet with you, but she wasn’t above getting some revenge. I just wanted to embarrass you a bit; I obviously didn’t mean for  _ this _ to happen,” she said gesturing towards his crotch. 

_ Of course it was all a setup. _ Ben wanted to be angry, but he couldn’t stop the low chuckle that bubbled up instead. Rey certainly wasn’t expecting that reaction from him. She nudged him softly with her shoulder as she removed the ice pack that she was holding to his head. 

“Well, rules are rules. You’ve definitely earned your date with me. That is, if you still want one. I’d understand if you don’t. I did orchestrate a mass mutiny against your junk today,” Rey said and Gwen stifled a giggle as she rolled the rack of dodgeballs out of the gym.

Ben smiled. “I do still want to go out with you. But, you have to agree to let me plan it. You’re always planning these things for other people. Let me take care of it all for us.” 

Rey’s first reaction was to protest, but he looked so determined. She knew there’d be no swaying him. “Okay, you can plan it. Just let me know when you’re picking me up.”

Ben wanted to tell her not to be nervous. He already had an idea for a date since they talked at the wedding. It was simple, but if she didn’t like what he planned, she could just say the word and he’d fly them some tropical island where they could make out in a beachside hammock. But, before he could say any of that, her lips were against his cheek. 

“See you soon, Ben.” 

 

* * *

 

**BEN OF MY EXISTENCE >:(  **

**8:35am**

_ Are you free at 11am today? _

 

**DIMPLES <3**

**8:37am**

_ Yes _

 

**BEN OF MY EXISTENCE >:(**

**8:37am**

_ Great! I’ll pick you up at 10:30. Don’t dress up.  _

_ I mean, you can if you want.  _

_ But this place isn’t fancy. _

 

**DIMPLES <3 **

**8:38am**

_ Noted.  _

_ I’ll be the plainest girl at the not fancy place ;) _

 

**BEN OF MY EXISTENCE >:(**

**8:38am**

_ Impossible _

 

Rey blushed at the latest text Ben sent her. She still couldn’t quite believe that her first date in years was going to be with Benjamin “Divorce is Love” Solo. But he certainly had proven himself in the past weeks. She remembered how scared she was when Ben had passed out at the dodgeball game. Her heart and dropped into her stomach when he hit the ground and didn’t move. The back of her throat still had a tickle from her screaming at Gwen to go get ice packs for him as she laid his head in her lap. As she stroked his hair (definitely just checking for blood, not to comfort him) she realized that she’d never met someone who tried so hard for her. 

Rey’s dating life in the past was mostly filled with crappy first dates that ended in awkward side hugs, sulking alone to her bedroom and using her vibe to get off. If anything had moved past the first date, it never lasted long. She would find one thing wrong with the guy and break up with him. None of them ever tried to argue with her. They just left. Ben was different. 

He was stubborn and he wanted her. He’d leave her alone if she asked but, through this whole ordeal, she never once told him to back off completely. If anything, Rey had come up with ways to be around him. Sure, those times were all designed to make Ben miserable, but now the thought of going on a legitimate date with him didn’t scare her so much. Her matching system certainly thought they belonged together. The numbers were hard for her to deny now. Maybe they were a perfect match…

“And what has you blushing like a virgin on her wedding night?” Rose walked into the room holding their mail and quickly broke Rey out of her thoughts. 

“Nothing. Just Ben Solo texting me about our date today.” 

The letters dropped out of Rose’s hand. “Shut up! I’m helping you get ready!” With that, Rey was whisked into Rose’s room to get primped. 

A couple hours later, Rey emerged from a whirlwind of sprays, brushes, and powders. Rose picked out a white sundress for her to wear. Rey had to admit, it was a good choice. Her skin looked tan and the freckles were just starting to peek out on the top of her shoulders. 

“Perfect timing! Your boy toy will be here soon. Should I call Armie and tell him I’m staying over tonight?” Rose’s eyebrows wiggled up and down as she nudged Rey’s side. 

“No,” Rey protested. “I mean...maybe? I don’t know.” 

“Rey, it’s been a long time since you’ve gotten laid and your vibrator isn’t as quiet as you think.” Rose grabbed her purse off the counter. She kept her eyes on Rey as she opened the front door to leave. “Please, do yourself a favor and climb that tree of a man.”

Rose turned and stopped dead in her tracks as said man was standing in their doorway. 

“Oh, hi, Ben! Can’t stay and chat, I have to run. You two have fun!” With that, she ducked behind Ben and ran off to her car, leaving an embarrassed Rey with a highly amused Ben. 

“Well, I didn’t have tree-climbing on the agenda for today, but I can be flexible,” he said with a wink. 

“I’m all set, thanks.” Rey couldn’t help the small smile that pulled up her lips. 

Ben smiled back and slowly took in her appearance. “You look great. If your goal was to be the plainest girl in the room, you’ve failed miserably.”

“Thank you,” Rey said and then bit her lip as she looked him up and down. He was wearing a button down (black of course) and a nice pair of jeans. His hair was freshly washed and still looks a little damp on the ends.  _ He must’ve taken a shower right before coming here _ . Thinking about him showering made her legs feel a little wobbly. “You look nice, too. So, where are we off to?” 

Ben ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I think it’s best if it’s a surprise.” 

Rey nodded and walked them through the doorway. “Okay, as long as it’s not Chewie’s Barbecue. I’m wearing white and you’d look ridiculous in a bib.” 

 

* * *

 

Her eyes scanned the building as Ben pulled into a front-row parking spot. “A retirement home?” 

Ben let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, I know it’s a little...unconventional, but bare with me.” He helped her out of the car and took her hand before walking through the door. As he reached the front desk, he whispered, “Just go with this.” 

The receptionist looked up from her magazine and smiled at Ben. “Hello, Mr. Solo! Nice to see you again. He’s been in a sour mood today.”

“Always a pleasure seeing you, Maz. Lucky for him, I brought a secret weapon that should lift his spirits.” He lifted the hand that was still holding Rey’s. “This is my fiance, Rey.” 

Rey’s eyebrows shot up and Ben leveled her with a stare that said, “I told you to just go with it.” Before she could react, Maz gasped, “I didn’t know you were engaged! Congratulations, sweetie! Well, I won’t keep you two. Just sign in here and you both can head back. He’s in the-”

“The rec room, I know.” Ben signed them in and took Rey through a pair of double doors that led to a long hallway. 

“Sorry about that,” he said looking over his shoulder quickly to make sure they were alone. “They only allow family members to visit, so I had to come up with the fiance thing to smuggle you back here.” 

Rey laughed with relief. “You’re a little bit insane, aren’t you?” 

“Yeah, but the fun kind,” he said with a shrug. They turned the corner and Rey could hear muffled voices coming from an upcoming room in the next hall. 

“You still haven’t explained why you brought me here. Are you about to introduce me to a dying grandmother who insisted you got married to earn your inheritance?”

Ben stopped outside a door where the voices were much louder. A small sign indicated that this was the Recreation Room.  “Nope. Though you should write that down, that’d make a great romance novel.” 

“Fine, so what  _ are _ we doing here,” Rey sighed as Ben opened the door.

The room was filled with round tables that were already occupied by the residents of the retirement home. A small stage was setup at the front of the room where a nurse was connecting a microphone. Another nurse was handing out pieces of paper and pencils to those already sitting at tables. Ben took Rey’s hand again and led her to a table near the front. 

“Ben, you’re late! The Twi'lek sisters already took our lucky table.” A mocha-skinned man with a thin mustache stood up from his chair. He was wearing a bright yellow sweater and dark grey corduroy pants. One of his hands remained on the chair for support as he patted Ben on the shoulder.

“Sorry, Uncle Lando. I had to pick up our secret weapon before heading over.” Ben pulled Rey a little closer to his side. “Rey, this is my Uncle Lando.” 

Rey smiled and held her hand out for Lando to shake. Instead, he took her fingers in his own and brought her hand up to his lips. “A pleasure to meet such a lovely lady.” He turned his attention back to Ben. “What’s your plan here, kid? Use her looks to distract the other teams?” 

Ben laughed. “Rey here happens to be a  _ math whiz _ .”

Lando’s scowl slowly turned into a large grin. “Is she now? Well, let me pull you up a chair, Rey.” They all sat down and Rey felt even more confused than when they pulled up to the retirement home.  _ This has to be the strangest date I’ve ever been on.  _ Two other men came to sit at their table. Lando introduced them to Rey and they nodded to her politely. They both seemed a little robotic, but Rey chalked it up to their old age. Ben slid a piece of paper and a pencil in front of her. 

The microphone whined loudly when the nurse turned it on. “Okay, everybody, find a seat. We’ll be starting in five minutes.”

Rey looked down at the paper that Ben had handed her and saw a series of blank spaces. “Ben, are we playing some kind of game?” 

“Oh, it’s much more than a game, Rey. It’s trivia. The winning team gets first dibs on the pudding cups in the cafeteria and bragging rights for two weeks. Around here, this is war,” Ben explained. The other men at the table nodded solemnly. 

Ben continued. “Lando knows everything there is to know about music. These two combined know history better than any textbook. I round things out with extensive pop culture references. Our team is strong, but we have one weakness that keeps us from winning: math.” All the men collectively grumbled. 

“The Twi’Lek sisters are always handing our asses to us with the math questions,” Lando emphasized. 

“Well, Rey is here to hand their asses right back.” Ben put his arm around the back of her chair. “What do you say, Rey?”

She matched his mischievous smile with one of her own. “I say the Twi’Lek sisters are going down.” 

 

* * *

 

Rey scooped the last bite out of her pudding cup as Lando walked them towards the front entrance. The chocolate pudding tasted even sweeter with the knowledge that she had won the game for her team. Ben and Lando had not been exaggerating when it came to the competitive energy that pudding cups could inspire in a room full of retirees. Their team was neck and neck with the Twi’lek sisters and the two teams had to go into a tie breaker round. 

_ Lando was nervously chewing the end of his pencil as the nurse announced the tie-breaking question: “I know plenty of y’all have been to the casinos downtown. So, can you tell me what the probability is of rolling three dice, and them all landing on a six? The first team to bring me the correct answer wins.” _

_ Rey had definitely run into this question in her Intro to Statistics course back in college. She quickly scribbled down the equation to double-check what she had calculated in her head. “I got it! I got it!” She wrote out the answer on her paper and handed it to Ben. He ran it up to the nurse on stage as the other team was just finishing up writing their answer.  _

_ After a quick scan of the sheet, the nurse nodded and brought the microphone back to her lips. “When rolling three dice, the probability of them all landing on a six is 1/216. Team Lando wins!”  _

_ Their table erupted with cheers as the rest of the room politely clapped. Ben stuck his tongue out at the Twi’lek sister’s table before running to join his team. Rey and Lando were holding each other and jumping up and down. He engulfed them both is a huge hug.  _

Lando held Rey’s hand in his own. “Rey, it was a pleasure meeting you. I don’t know what you’re doing settling for my nephew, but if it means you’ll come back to visit then I won’t give you too much grief about your poor choice in men.” He winked and kissed her hand once again. 

“I don’t know, he’s not so bad.” She gave Ben a sweet smile that made his toes curl. 

“See you later, Uncle Lando. Go easy on those pudding cups,” Ben said giving Lando a quick hug before ushering Rey back to his car. She slid into the seat and took a deep breath as Ben walked around to the driver’s side. Once he was in the car and had his door closed, she leaned over to kiss this cheek. 

“Thank you. This was, honestly, one of the best dates I’ve ever been on. I couldn’t have planned it better myself,” Rey said as she placed a hand on his chest and fidgeted with his shirt button. He turned to face her and she took the opportunity to capture his lips with her own. Ben’s lips were softer than she imagined. He seemed to be shocked that Rey was kissing him, so she leaned closer into the kiss and placed her hand on the back of his neck, lightly stroking through his hair. That encouraged him. 

Ben’s hands wrapped around her waist and Rey thought she heard a low growl rumble in his chest. His tongue gently brushed against her lips, asking to deepen the kiss. She opened her mouth to allow him inside. The warmth of his tongue against her own sent a hot bolt of lust down in her belly. She pulled away quickly. 

“Ben, can you drive us home? I have a tree I want to climb.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)


	7. In Which Our Matchmaker Climbs a Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey find something they can agree on: being horny for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites :)
> 
> Let the smuttening begin!

Rey gripped the handle over her head in the car as Ben sped back to her apartment. She glanced at him for what hand to be the tenth time since he started the car. His knuckles were practically white as they held the steering wheel and his shoulders were so tense, they were almost up to his ears. She stifled a small giggle.  _ He’s certainly worked up. _

“Ben, I - “

“Rey, if you say another word right now, I’m going to pull over the car and fuck you in the backseat. That’s not how I imagined our first time going.”

Her breath hitched. It didn’t sound like such a terrible idea to her. “So, you’ve imagined it?”

Ben gave her a sideways glance. “One more word, Rey.”

His tone was serious, but his eyes held a warmth that let her know he was enjoying this little game. Folding her hands in her lap, she ducked down her head to hide the mischievous smile that had appeared on her lips. They were about seven minutes away from her place. Plenty of time to have some more fun with him. 

Rey leaned back slightly in her seat and huffed a dramatic sigh. Ben looked over to her to see what was the matter. She locked eyes with him, spread her tanned legs, and began to slowly rub her hands up her thighs, pulling the skirt of her dress up so he could see the expanse of her legs. Her hips undulated as she squeezed her breasts and threw her head back against the leather seat. Biting her lip, she moaned. Ben had to adjust himself in the seat as his cock twitched with appreciation for Rey’s theatrics. He tore his gaze from her to watch the road, but he couldn’t escape the breathy moans she was emitting.  _ The tease.  _

The car whipped into a parking space in front of Rey’s building. Rey yelped as Ben slammed the brakes and leaned over to capture her lips once again. He grunted off his seatbelt and began unlocking Rey from hers. “You’re going to pay for that,” he growled against her hot mouth. 

“We’ll see,” she giggled. 

They took the stairs two at a time until they reached her front door. She fumbled with her keys as Ben kissed the side of her neck. When the door was finally open, they stumbled inside. Rey jumped and wrapped her legs around Ben’s waist. He pressed her back against the door and she gasped as she felt his hard length against her core, the friction of his jeans against the cotton of her underwear making her writhe. Ben sucked the soft skin below her ear as his hands roved across her ribs.

“Ben I -- oh, god -- I don’t usually do this.” His breath against her neck was making her dizzy.

“Do what?” he asked as he continued to caress the skin of her throat with his lips. 

“Have sex on the first date.” 

He pulled back with a chuckle. Tucking her hair behind her ear, he said, “I wouldn’t judge you even if you did. But, lucky for you, it’s not our first date.”

“What do you mean?” Rey’s brow furrowed and she placed her hands on his shoulders. 

Ben leaned in and gave her a quick, reassuring kiss. “By my count, this is our second date.” 

Rey looked at him incredulously. “How am I the math expert in this scenario and yet, none of what you’re saying is adding up to me?”

“I count sharing a drink and a dance as a date, don’t you? We did that at the wedding. Today was our second date, Rey.” He barely had time to finish his thought before Rey was kissing him again. Her fingers slid down to unbutton his shirt and shove it off his shoulders. She moaned as her hands met with his warm skin. The hard ripples of his muscles spurred her on to move her fingers lower. His belt was quickly undone and he was stepping out of his pants as they pooled to the ground. “Bedroom?” 

“Second on the left.” Ben grabbed her thighs and kept Rey pressed close against him as he made is way down to her room clad only in his black boxers. 

Inside her bedroom, Ben placed her down on the bed. He nibbled her freckled shoulders and teased, “That dress looks very uncomfortable. Can I help you out of it?” Rey nodded. Ben pulled the thin straps down lightly and pushed the fabric down to her waist, exposing her breasts to his hungry eyes. A low hum of approval escaped his lips as he peppered her collarbone with kisses until he reached the hard peak of a nipple. Rey felt the hot swipe of his tongue circle it before his sinful mouth closed over it to suck. She bucked on the bed and mewled for him not to stop. 

Lavishing the other breast with the same attention, Ben pushed the rest of her dress off. He brushed his fingers across the waistband of her lace panties. Rey’s center throbbed knowing he was mere inches from where she wanted to feel him most. 

She reached down to his wrist to guide his hand lower, but he swatted it away and pinned both her hands above her head with a large hand of his own. “Ben, please!”

“Not just yet, Rey. You did quite a lot of teasing back there in the car. Remember, I said you’d have to pay?” 

Ben could hardly control himself when he saw her pout at his words. Rey pushed her hips up against his fingers in a failed attempt to work them further into her underwear. “I’ll say anything. I’ll  _ do _ anything. Just keep touching me, please!”

His low laugh rumbled in his chest and Rey could feel it in her bones. “You’ve relied on yourself for so long. You need someone you can trust to take care of you from time to time. I want to be that person for you, Rey. Here’s what I want you to do: let go. You were such a good girl today letting me take control in planning our date. And you know what? I see why you like your control so much. It feels good. Are you okay if I keep it for a little bit longer?”

A fresh wave of white, hot arousal hit her gut when he called her a good girl. She wanted to feel more of that. “Y-yes. You can have it. Will you call me that again?” 

His pupils were blown wide as he recognized what she wanted. “Mmmm, that’s my good girl.” 

Rey wanted to cry as he kissed her deeply. This kiss felt different from the other kisses they shared today. This one buried the fire a little and replaced it with something sweet. She didn’t have much time to think about it before his thick fingers were delving into her folds. He stroked her softly until his fingers were coated in her moisture.

“Your mouth is so sweet, Rey. I wonder if you taste just as sweet down here.” He released her hands and slid down her body until he was eye level with her sex. Ben hooked his fingers into her panties and slowly tugged them off her legs. He grasped her thighs and spread them wider to accommodate his shoulders. She could feel his warm breath fan across her as he said, “Already so wet. Is this all for me?”

“Yes!”

The first touch of his lips on her cunt made her knees squeeze together. Ben pulled away to look up at her. “Nope. Keep them nice and wide for me, honey.” Ben wrapped his hands under her knees and spread her legs back out as he licked a long swipe up to the bundle of nerves that had been screaming for attention. Her knees pushed against his grip on their own volition, but he held them firmly in place. Rey buried her hands in his hair as the pressure built low in her core. Every moan that threatened to escape her, she stifled. 

Ben sighed in frustration. “You’re still trying to control it, Rey. I want you to let go. Moan, scream, cry. I want to hear it all from you. I want to know it when you come.” He circled her entrance with his tongue.

Rey gasped.

“But not until I say, Rey.” He nuzzled her clit with his nose. “I was right, by the way. You do taste sweet.” He pushed a finger inside her and curled it slowly. A loud whimper came from Rey as her back bowed off the bed. Ben brought his mouth back to her clit and sucked. It didn’t take long before Rey felt her release coming. Her legs were shaking when Ben finally said, “Okay, honey. Come for me.” The timbre of his voice and a final press of his tongue against her clit was enough to send her over the edge. “Ben!” 

“You did so good for me, Rey.” He placed a final kiss on her thighs. 

Rey was half out of her mind from her orgasm as she felt him move back over her. Ben beat the shit out of her vibrator any day. He nibbled her earlobe and she could feel his length heavy against her thigh. She wanted to feel it inside her. She cantered her hips up in a silent invitation. 

“Use your words. Tell me what you want.” 

She huffed. “You. I want you.”

“I’m right here.”  _ He was teasing her. _

The fire returned to her eyes. “Fine! I want your dick! I want to feel it inside me!” 

“Alright, alright. No need to scream about it,” he laughed. 

Despite her annoyance, she smiled. “If you hadn’t given me the orgasm of a lifetime just now, I’d slap you.” Rey brought her mouth up to meet his and wrapped her legs around his hips. Ben took that as encouragement and slowly pushed inside her. The stretch of him was almost overwhelming. He filled her so completely, it pushed the air from her lungs. 

Rey buried her face in his neck as he started to thrust with earnest. Ben groaned after her walls clenched when he hit her particularly deep, “Fuck, Rey, you feel perfect.” 

Rey gasped as he moved her legs over his shoulders and sped up his pace. She could feel the pressure building up again. Ben must’ve felt it too because he brought his hand between them to work her clit. “I know you have another one in you. Come for me again, sweetheart.” Sweat broke out on her brow as heat rushed down to her center. The tension in her finally broke and Rey came with a cry. Delicious waves of pleasure continued to rack her body as Ben’s hips pounded into her, seeking his own release. After a few more jerky thrusts, Rey felt him pull out and finish against the inside of her thigh. 

With a grunt, he rolled them over so she could lay on his chest. He stroked her hair as their breathing both slowed. Rey traced little circles around one of the beauty marks on his torso and sighed softly. “That was...I don’t even know. I’m at a loss for words.” 

“I believe the words ‘orgasm of a lifetime’ were uttered.” Ben smiled smugly. 

She flicked his nose and giggled. “Maybe they were.”

After a few more moments of contented silence, Ben said, “I have something I want to ask you. Don’t feel like you have to say yes. But, my mother is throwing this huge gala next weekend. Want to be my date?”

Rey pushed up on his chest to look down at him. “I thought you and your mother didn’t speak?”

“We don’t.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I show up and we pretend we’re a happy family one night a year, take a few pictures, I get drunk with Poe and then go on with my life.”

“Wow, that sounds like a blast,” Rey deadpanned. 

Ben laughed softly. “It’ll be awful. But you’ll get to wear a fancy dress and take me out of my tux at the end of the night. So, what do you say?” 

She leaned down and kissed him. “I say let’s go.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I made the E-rating proud! 
> 
> Come talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites :)


	8. In Which Our Matchmaker Learns A Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben brings Rey to the gala to meet the family. Rey sees a familiar face and things get messy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to @DarkKnightDarkSide for beta-ing this chapter for me! 
> 
> Come talk to me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)

Morning light filtered in through Rey’s bedroom window and slowly roused her eyes open. She was so warm, so comfortable. Her head rose and fell as it rested against Ben’s chest; he was still in a deep sleep, a testament to how  _ vigorous _ they had been last night. She smiled as she remembered the hours they had spent teasing and pleasuring each other. With a deep sigh, she rolled off of him to stretch out on the bed. Every muscle protested the movement and she had to bite back a groan as she felt a foreign soreness between her legs. Maybe they had slightly overdone it. Looking back, Ben had worked her into positions last night that had her resembling an Olympic gymnast. She needed a hot shower. 

The hot water was exactly what Rey needed. Her muscles began to relax as she lathered the manuka honey-scented body wash against her skin. Rolling her neck, she giggled to herself about how quickly so much had changed in the past few weeks. She went from being a perpetually single workaholic to having a sex yeti sleeping in her bed. A warm rush of satisfaction hit her at the realization that her algorithm had finally provided  _ her _ with a successful match. All those late nights of coding formulas until her eyes were bloodshot had finally paid off for her. It had brought Ben into her life.  _ Sweet, caring, considerate Ben... _

The shower curtain flung back quickly, cold air hitting her like a brick and breaking Rey out of her thoughts, causing her to yelp. 

“Ben! What the hell?” 

He stepped into the shower next to her and placed himself under the spray. “We need to go over some ground rules for meeting my mother,” he said as he wet his hair. 

Rey could only stare at the water that ran down Ben’s back and across some of the light marks she had left there with her nails. A small blush tinged her cheeks at the memory of her digging her nails into his shoulders when he brought her to the final orgasm of the night. 

“Okay, what do I need to know?” She asked, grabbing the body wash and rubbing it into the scratches on his back in a silent apology. 

He sighed into her touch. “I’m sorry, I should have said this first: Good morning. You are amazing and last night was incredible.” He turned around to face her and place a kiss on her nose. “How are you feeling?” 

“A little sore, but in a good way. You?”

A proud smile graced his lips as he leaned in to kiss her properly. Moving his lips to caress her neck, he said, “I feel like I threw my damn back out, you minx. How did a math nerd like you learn to screw like that?” 

Rey laughed and pushed away from him to finish shampooing her hair. She placed some shampoo in Ben’s hands so he could do the same. “So, what are these ground rules that were too important to wait ‘til breakfast?”

Ben took a deep breath. “As you know, my mom and I have a  _ strained _ relationship. This gala is the only time we’re in the same room and we have perfected the art of avoiding any confrontation.” 

He took Rey by the shoulders and turned her around so she could rinse her hair under the stream. “Bringing you is going to throw a wrench in the mix. She’ll zero in on you the moment she sees you’re with me, so here are the safe topics of conversation: her dog, her charity work, and Celebrity Big Brother.” 

Rey lifted her eyebrows in surprise at that last one, but let him continue. 

“She can ask you questions, but she doesn’t like when other people pry into her business, so don’t ask her anything. If the conversation lulls, make an observation about the decor. Avoid any and all conversation about my career and, of course, Dad.” 

Rey nodded and switched back with Ben so he could rinse out the shampoo from his hair. “What if she asks about how we met?” 

Ben bit his lip in thought. He grabbed a bottle of conditioner, squirted some into this hand and worked it into Rey’s hair, twirling the wet ends through his fingers while he debated with himself.

“I can’t ask you to lie to my mother. If she asks, tell her the truth. Hopefully, she’ll be so busy charming the crowd for donations that you won’t have to put up with her long enough to get to that question.”

Rey stood on her tip-toes and worked conditioner into Ben’s hair. “Anything else? Or am I sufficiently debriefed?” 

“Wear red.” 

She tilted her head as steam continued to rise between them. “Is that your mom’s favorite color?” 

He wrapped his arms around her and nibbled her ear before whispering, “No, it’s mine.”

* * *

_ 1 week later… _

Rey adjusted the red strap on her new pump as she slid it onto her foot. As she stood, she gave Rose a nervous smile. The crimson, silk dress clung to her hips and tapered gently until it ended at her ankles. A tall slit in the skirt showed off one tanned thigh. “How do I look?” 

“Like an escort, but one of those fancy ones that only gets hired by diplomats and princes,” Rose said with a little flourish of her hand. 

Rey rolled her eyes and laughed. “Thanks, Rose, that’s  _ exactly _ what I was going for.”

Her phone dinged with a text from Ben.

**BEN <3  **

**6:59pm**

_ Sorry for running late. Just come downstairs so we can head over. _

Rey couldn’t help but be slightly annoyed. Ben always came to the door to pick her up. She sighed and grabbed her clutch. 

“I’m off! I’ll probably stay at Ben’s tonight, so don’t wait up.” She hugged Rose and made her way downstairs. 

Her mouth dropped open when she finally got to the parking lot. 

A long, black limo was idling by the sidewalk. Her eyes scanned across the body of the luxurious ride until they landed on Ben, leaning casually against the back door of the vehicle. He was deliciously wrapped in a bespoke tux, his hair styled in dark waves. 

Looking up from his phone, Ben had to quickly compose himself when he caught sight of Rey. He smiled and slowly walked over to her. 

Rey saw a hint of a red bottom to his shoes.  _ Was he really wearing Louboutins? _

“I have half a mind to skip this whole thing and take you back upstairs for the rest of the evening.” He leaned down to quickly peck her red-painted lips. “You look beautiful.” 

Rey smiled against his lips and hummed softly. “Rose said I look like a high class escort. Are you sure you could afford me?” 

Ben’s eyebrows shot up towards his hairline before he laughed, “I don’t think anyone could afford you. You’re priceless. Come on, let’s get going, gorgeous.” 

He led her to the door of the limo by placing his hand on the small of her back, surprised to feel her bare skin. Slowing his steps so Rey could walk ahead of him, Ben took in the sight of her from behind. The skinny straps of her dress tied around her neck, leaving her entire back exposed. He caught sight of the freckle on her lower back that he had lovingly claimed as his favorite the last time they were together. Memories of him thrusting into her as she bent over his couch flooded his mind. Ben shook away the thought to help Rey climb into the limo. 

* * *

Rey held Ben’s hand in a vice-like grip when they walked into the ballroom. She was already a little shaken from the wave of paparazzi that snapped their picture as they stepped out of the limo. Ben had held her steady and directed her where to look, when to smile, when to continue down the red carpet that led to the hotel entrance. 

Ben squeezed her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “You’re doing great.” 

It felt like all eyes turned to watch them enter. She could hear people murmer about her as Ben led her deeper into the room. Apparently, it was quite a spectacle that the son of Senator Leia Organa had brought a date. By the time they got to the open bar in the back, the other guests finally tore away their gazes and continued on with their usual conversations. 

Ben handed Rey a glass of champagne and took one for himself, as well. “Cheers.” He downed his glass quickly before scanning the room.

The crowd to their left began to part. Ben straightened his spine. It was Rey’s turn to hold his hand. A small woman dressed in a black dress was making her way through the sea of people, stopping every once in a while to shake hands or exchange a quick hello. All the while, her sharp eyes stayed trained on Ben. Rey recognized those eyes. They were same whiskey-brown color as Ben’s.

The woman finally made her way out of the crowd and up to the bar. With a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes she said, “Benjamin, so nice of you to make it, even if you were fashionably late.”

Rey felt Ben’s muscles coil in frustration from being chastised. “Hello, Mother. Traffic was hell, should be expected when you host these things downtown.”

“Hm, and yet, everyone else managed to arrive on time. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your date?” She asked, lifting an eyebrow and nodding her head towards Rey. 

Ben pulled Rey closer to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “This is Rey. My girlfriend. Rey, this is my mother, Senator Leia Organa.” 

Leia extended her hand and Rey was surprised by how firm her handshake was. “Nice to meet you, dear. You must be something special for my son to invite you. I haven’t met one of his girlfriends since he was 15.” 

“Shipping your kid off to an all-boys boarding school has that effect,” Ben mumbled. Leia ignored him. 

Rey finally spoke up to help cut the tension. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Senator. This party is beautiful.” 

“Thank you, dear. I pay someone to make it so. Ben, your uncle is here. How about you go do your obligatory photo with him while I chat with Rey - just us girls?” It wasn’t really a question.

Ben scowled as Leia took Rey’s arm and tucked it in her own to walk her over to a table nearby. Rey looked back at him and nodded to let him know she was fine with the turn of events. 

Sitting down across from Leia, Rey was at a loss for words.  _ Come on, Niima. Say something! _ “How has your campaign been going?”

Leia smirked, “Ah, I see he briefed you on the safe topics. It’s going well, thank you.” 

Another awkward pause built between then before Leia continued. “I wasn’t just pulling Ben’s leg earlier. He must really care about you to bring you tonight. I’d like to learn more about the woman who has finally stolen my son’s heart. What is it you do for work, Rey?” 

“I’m a matchmaker. My best friend and I own a matchmaking agency together.” Rey fiddled with her now empty champagne glass. With a small wave, Leia called over a waiter to refill her drink. 

The irony clearly was not lost on Leia. “So, how does a divorce lawyer and a matchmaker find themselves in a relationship together?”

_Here we go._ “Um, well, he actually started out as my client…” 

Leia listened intently as Rey went into the whole story. Rey’s algorithm matching them, the deal they set, the sabotaged dates, the visit to Lando’s. The only thing Rey left out was the mind-blowing sex. The two of them fell into a fit of laughter after she had Rey describe the dodgeball game for a second time. 

“Right in the family jewels, huh?! Well, I’m glad he still has so much of his father in him.” 

Rey’s smile faltered. Ben had specifically said not to bring up his dad. But they hadn’t discussed what she was supposed to do if Leia brought him up! She scanned the room to see if she could find Ben before this conversation took a dark turn. 

“Let me guess. He said to avoid talking about Han?” 

“Han?” Her eyes snapped back to Leia, feeling caught out. 

“His father.” 

“Oh, yes, Ben mentioned you two didn’t talk about him much.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her nervously. 

Leia humphed. “ _ He _ may not talk about him much with me. But,  _ I _ have no problem talking about the love of my life.” A sad smile graced her lips. “The older Ben gets, the more I see Han in him. Passionate, confident, and too stubborn for his own good. You seem like you’d be good for him. A smart, clever girl with ambition. I’m happy to see he found someone like you.” 

Leia’s eyes looked up behind Rey. Confused, Rey turned around to see Ben walking towards them. He looked annoyed as he closed the distance between them. 

“Luke is losing patience with the pictures. Let’s just do the family shots now before he bursts a vein,” Ben said. 

“Of course, son. Come on, Rey,” Leia said standing quickly. 

Rey shook her head. “I don’t want to impose on family pictures; you two go ahead. I can wait here for you all to be done.” 

Leia lifted a brow in challenge but didn’t press the issue further. 

“Poe should be around here somewhere,” Ben offered as he lead his mother away to the gaggle of photographers. “I think he was by the bar.”

Rey nodded and made her way over to the bar once again. She was desperate for a familiar face and could use another drink after breaking literally every rule Ben had given her. Poe’s back was turned away from her as she approached. 

“Hey, stranger.” 

Poe quickly turned and a huge smile broke out on his face. “Rey! Good to see you!” He enveloped her in a big hug. Letting go of her and taking a step back to take in her appearance, he exclaimed, “You’re looking hot! Out to snag a rich politician?” 

“Not exactly,” she giggled. “How was the honeymoon?”

“Fabulous! We drank enough mai tais to cause a rum shortage. Finn is still at home recovering,” Poe said with a wink. “So, if you’re not here to gold dig with the best of them, then what exactly are you doing here?”

Unsure if she should tell him about her and Ben, Ren lied. “Just...networking.” 

Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands wrap around her shoulders and warm lips against her neck. 

“Hey, gorgeous. You almost ready to go?” Ben moved to her side and placed his hand against the small of her back. His manner was much more relaxed now that he was free from his yearly family obligation. “Hey, Poe. Back from the honeymoon already?”

“We wanted to stay longer, but your mother insisted she needed me for the campaign.” Poe gave a pointed glance at Rey. “Networking, huh?” 

A blush spread across Rey’s cheeks. “Did I say networking? I meant I’m here with Ben.” Ben smiled warmly at her.

Poe’s eyes lit up. “Ben, I gave you Rey’s info so she could find you a girlfriend, not so you could go seducing her for yourself.” The two men laughed and Rey couldn’t help but join in.

“I gave it my best shot to find him someone else, but the system matched his application with mine. I guess it was inevitable,” she shrugged and snuggled closer into Ben. 

He kissed the top of her head, giving Poe a pointed look that she didn’t see. 

“Well, I guess this makes us even now, Rey,” Poe said, ignoring Ben who was shaking his head vigorously. 

Ben stiffened. “Dameron.”

“What do you mean? How so?” Rey asked.

Poe’s shoulders were practically shaking with laughter. “Very funny, Rey! Come on, because I’m the one who filled out his application for him.” He looked at her like it was common knowledge.

It felt like the ground had just dropped out under Rey. She turned to Ben who was glaring at Poe. 

His eyes finally met hers, full of fear of her reaction. Quietly, so quietly that Ben could barely make it out, she whispered, “Ben? Is that true?” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH please don't hate me! Things are going to be messy for a bit (bc remember who we're dealing with) but it will all work out in the end. 
> 
> Come talk to me on twitter @MeedaWrites :)


	9. In Which Our Matchmaker Throws A Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben explains how Poe came to fill out his compatibility application. Rey defends her life's work. Champagne goes flying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can do is apologize for making y'all wait so long between updates! Having multiple WIPs is...not my strongsuit and yet I keep starting new fics. *shrugs*

“Ben? Is that true?” Rey whispered.

Ben tore his angry glare away from Poe to look at Rey. Her eyes were glistening with tears and he desperately wanted to kiss them away, but he had a feeling that was the last thing Rey wanted from him. “Yes, but it’s not what you think.” 

“Then start talking,” she said, her voice flat. Her arms were crossed over her chest, as if trying to hug herself. Ben could sense Rey was building the walls around herself again. They had come so far, he needed to fix this. 

Poe looked sheepishly from side to side before pretending to see a familiar face in the crowd. He waved to an invisible stranger and walked away, leaving the two of them. Ben made a mental note to kick his ass later.

“That day we met, after I left your office, I planned on going straight home to fill out the application. But, then I got a call from Poe. His best man got the flu and his bachelor party was going to be cancelled. So, I stepped in and pulled some strings to have the guys come to my place. Pulling some strings turned into taking some shots and…”

*********

_ Music blasted from the speaker system in his living room. Ben asked himself how he went from flirting with a matchmaker to watching a male stripper dressed as a firefighter grind on one of the groomsmen within a few hours. Finn was laughing and throwing dollar bills into the air. Ben took another shot of whiskey and a hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder.  _

_ “Benny boy, I can’t thank you enough for this! I owe you one,” Poe said.  _

_ Ben managed to slur out, “No problem. Why are you still sober?”  _

_ “Alcohol dehydrates the skin. I will be damned if we get the wedding photos back and I’m all patchy.” Poe winked as he sat down next to Ben.  _

_ “Fair enough.” _

_ Grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring it into Ben’s shot glass, Poe asked, “How did things go with the matchmakers today?” _

_ Ben’s shot glass dropped to the table. “The matchmaker! Shit, I forgot to do my application!” _

_ He stood up and stumbled to his bedroom to get his laptop. Poe followed only to find Ben sprawled across his bed trying to unlock the computer.  _

_ With a groan, Ben said, “This stupid laptop is mocking me. It won’t let me remember my password.” _

_ “Come on, Ben. You’re in no state to be filling that out,” Poe said and sat on the edge of the bed to pull off Ben’s shoes. Ben was too drunk to put up much of a fight and, if he was being honest, his bed was feeling very comfy. If only it would stop spinning so much.  _

_ Before he fully slid into unconsciousness, he heard Poe clicking away on his computer.  _

_ “Don’t worry, buddy. I’ll take care of all this for you. I owe you one, remember?” _

*********

“You see? It was all just a misunderstanding. I didn’t ask him to do it. Once I woke up and Poe told me what he did, it was too late. He had already submitted it along with my contract.” Ben smiled, hoping that would appease Rey’s anger. 

She raised an angry brow. “Is that story supposed to make me feel better?”

“Yes?”

“You  _ never  _ said anything! When I was showing you your matches,  _ that _ was the time to tell me! Instead, you sat back and gloated about winning me over. I knew you were an ass from the start, but you’ve just proven yourself the biggest ass on the planet,” Rey yelled, causing some eyes to stray towards them at the bar. 

“I’m sorry. I know I should have told you from the beginning, but you were so... _ you _ and I just wanted my shot at being with you. I figured I’d tell you when things got more comfortable between us,” Ben reasoned. 

Rey huffed in annoyance. “Oh, so meeting your entire family and us screwing each other for the past couple of weeks wasn’t comfortable enough? Sounds more like you were being a coward and hoping I’d never find out the truth. Our whole relationship is based on a lie.  _ Your  _ lie!” 

Ben looked down at the ground shamefully. “You’re right. I was a coward. But, what we have here is the real deal. No argument can undermine that. Please, Rey, let’s just go home and talk this through.” 

“Don’t you get it?! What we have isn’t real. We aren’t a near-perfect match. We’re meant for other people. We’ve just been fooling ourselves into thinking we make each other happy. I bet if we compared our real answers, we wouldn’t match at all,” Rey sighed and wiped away a tear before Ben could see it fall down her cheek. 

Ben shrugged. “Who cares?”

“Excuse me?”

“The applications and the algorithms. Those things don’t really matter if two people truly want to be together.”

“They matter to  _ me _ , Ben! That is my life’s work. It’s  _ never  _ been wrong,” she started walking away. 

Rey could feel the tears coming faster and she’d rather die than have Ben see her cry over him.  He wasn’t going to let her walk away so easily, though. Ben quickly followed her to the middle of the ballroom and took hold of her wrist. She spun around to glare at him. A lone glass of champagne sat on the table next to them. Rey grabbed it and threw the golden liquid across Ben’s face. The guests around them gasped and the room began to grow eerily quiet. All eyes on them. With champagne dripping down his hair and tux jacket, Ben continued to hold her wrist softly. 

In a voice that was far too calm and quiet for her comfort, Ben said, “Rey, you cling to those numbers and systems because they’re safe. Be careful who you call a coward, sweetheart. You’re terrified of taking a risk and getting hurt, so you cushion yourself with applications and contracts. You sit behind a desk and put all your energy into helping other people fall in love while you let yourself miss out.”

“How dare-,” Rey tried to pull her wrist free, but Ben held firm.

“I’m not saying what you’ve built isn’t brilliant. It  _ is _ . But love doesn’t work like that; not completely. Your system can only predict so much.”

“Oh, really?!”

Wiping some of the liquid from his eyes, Ben continued, “You’re right, if we compared answers, you and me would probably be the worst match in history...on paper. The reality is, I love how you challenge me. I love how you overplan every little thing in your day so you can get the most out of it. I love that no matter how many fancy ramen shops I take you to, you’d still rather eat the cheap kind that comes in a styrofoam cup. I love  _ you _ , Rey. I’m living proof that you can’t predict everything.”

Rey stared at him with wide eyes. She could hardly process what he had just said to her.  _ He loved her? _ “I don’t know what to say…”

He released her hand with a heavy sigh. Rey thought she saw his lip trembling. “When you’re ready to take the risk, you know where to find me. You can take the limo, I’ll find another way home.” 

Ben gave Rey one last look, then walked out of the ballroom, leaving her standing alone to process his many confessions of the night. She vaguely recalled Leia coming up to her and giving her a hug and walking her to the limo. At some point, she’d walked through the door of her apartment with mascara running down her cheeks. Rose held her as she cried herself to sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valid points made on both sides...Only one more chapter left! Will these two idiots finally figure this shit out??


	10. In Which Our Matchmaker Takes a Leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben deal the aftermath of their breakup. Rey reflects on what she really wants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending is finally here! I've been procrastinating writing this final chapter because its so bittersweet to see my very first fic come to an end. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and enjoying this story. Your kudos and comments helped me build confidence as a writer. This one is dedicated to all of you! <3

_ “Hey, this is Ben. I can’t come to the phone right now, so please leave your name and number and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.”  _

_ Beep. _

“Benjamin, it’s your mother. Have the reporters been hounding you? They haven’t stopped asking me about your little scene at the gala last night. Speaking of...have you heard from her yet? Call me.”

_ Beep. _

“Fuck, buddy, pick up your phone! I’ve been trying to call you since last night! I’m sorry I let the cat out of the bag. I thought you had told Rey all about the bachelor party thing already. I owe you a drink...or three. I promise not to throw any of them in your face. Sorry. Bad joke. Gimme a call, bud. Bye.”

_ Beep. _

“Hello, Ben, this is Rose. I really shouldn’t be doing this. Rey would kill me if she knew I was calling you. I’m actually hiding in our pantry right now and realizing how much ramen we keep in here. Anyways, this is about Rey. I’m worried she’s  —”

“What are you doing?”

Rose immediately hung up the phone and plastered her most innocent looking smile on her face. A confused Rey had just opened the pantry door. Rey’s eyes were still puffy from crying all night. She was wrapped in a fuzzy blanket from Rose’s bed and mascara tracks still stained her cheeks. 

“Nothing! Just...uh...figuring out what to cook for lunch.” She turned around and started grabbing random cans.

Rey crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder against the door frame. “With the door closed?”

“Yep! It’s a trick I saw on the Food Network. Something about eliminating distractions. How are you feeling?” Rose turned around with two cans of chicken noodle soup in her hands. 

Rey stepped away from the door and groaned. Sitting at the table, she folded her arms and pulled the blanket over her head. A muffled “not good” emerged from the mountain of fluff. 

“If I feed you, will you be willing to talk about what happened last night? I missed the majority of the story because you were sobbing so hard,” Rose said as she heated up the soup on the stove top. The comforting scent roused Rey’s stomach, causing her to lift her head slightly. 

“You’d force me to tell you everything eventually anyways,” Rey sniffled. She felt awful, truly awful. One moment she was happier than she’d been in years, the next moment she was tossing champagne into her lying boyfriend’s face. Was it possible to get emotional whiplash?

A steaming bowl of soup was placed in front of Rey and she nodded her thanks to Rose.

“So, you and Ben aren’t a perfect match?” Rose asked as she sat down at the table. 

“No, turns out we’re not. Ben got too drunk and Poe filled out the application for him. The scores meant nothing. The whole relationship meant nothing.” She lowered her watering eyes and stirred the soup around in her bowl.

Rose shook her head softly. “Hmm...I don’t know. That goofy smile you had plastered to your face whenever you’d come home from his place sure seemed like it meant something.”

“But that was before I knew the truth. None of that counts anymore.” 

“Doesn’t it?”

“Are you taking his side?” Rey snapped. A loud clang rang through kitchen as she dropped her spoon into her bowl and scowled at Rose. 

With a heavy sigh, Rose said, “Look, you have every right to be angry with him for lying. But, Rey, this was the happiest I’ve seen you in years. It’s obvious that he cares about you. Are you willing to throw all that away on a technicality?” 

Rey looked down shamefully.  _ Was she willing? _

“Did I ever tell you what happened when I walked him out that first day?” Rose asked. “Ben looked like the cat that ate the canary after leaving your office. I asked him if he was feeling optimistic after the consultation with you. Do you know what he told me? He said, ‘My dad always used to tell me about the day he met my mother. The second he saw her, he knew she was the one. I’m starting to understand what he meant.’ Ben knew the moment he met you, Rey. He didn’t need the numbers, he just wanted you...for you.” 

Rey sat silently as she fought back more tears. The only sound in the room was Rose slurping her soup as she let her friend process what she just said. Finally, Rey slowly and lightly placed both hands on the table. 

“Rose, I need to find him,” she said with determination. 

A smile spread across Rose’s face. “You bet your ass you do! But first, please go shower.” 

Five minutes and a rushed shower later, Rey emerged from her room and grabbed her purse. She smoothed out her sundress, gave Rose a quick hug and began to walk out her front door only to smack into a solid, male body. A warm hand landed on her shoulder to steady her. Looking up, she saw Poe’s eyes were wild with worry.

“Rey, thank fuck, I was hoping you were home. I’m so sorry for dropping that bomb on you last night; you have to let me explain. Yes, I filled out the application for Ben, but I swear I know Ben better than he knows himself sometimes. I bet if he filled out another application you’d see the same results. Please, Rey, give him another chance. Don’t let me being a pushy friend ruin what you two had...have. He’s not answering my calls and he’s probably a mess and--”

“POE! I appreciate you coming here to defend him, but I already made up my mind,” Rey said. 

Poe’s face fell in defeat. He nodded and turned around to walk back to his car. Before he could take a step, Rey spoke again. 

“I’ve decided that I need to find him, you idiot! Will you help me?” 

A smirk appeared on Poe’s face as he said, “Get in the car. We’re gonna do this!” 

* * *

Rey was beginning to lose hope. Poe had driven them to all the places he knew Ben would go to when upset: they gym where he’d run until he could barely breathe, the dive bar where he’d play pool against bikers, and even the indie movie theater where Poe swore Ben would go just to cry (a fact that Rey made a mental note to ask Ben about if they worked things out). 

Poe sighed when they got back in the car. “Ben isn’t usually the type to wallow at home, but I’ll take you to his apartment next.” 

They sped across town and pulled up to the skyrise apartments within minutes. There was a large crowd outside of the doors. Flashing lights, cameras, and reporters with microphones littered the entrance of Ben’s building. Rey and Poe both stared at each other with wide eyes. 

Most of the crowd was waiting around, some reporters were giving updates to bored-looking cameramen. They were clearly biding their time until a person-of-interest made an appearance.

“Poor Ben, he’s probably stuck up there in his apartment all alone,” Rey lamented. She scanned the crowd and couldn’t figure out how anybody would be able to make it in or out of the building.

“Should we try calling him again?” Poe made a move to grab his phone, but Rey stopped him. 

“No, I know what I need to do,” she said with conviction. “Stay in the car.”

While Rey stepped out of the car, Poe shouted, “Are you crazy?! They’re going to bombard you before you can even get to the door!”

Rey only smiled.  _ He’s worth it. _

She held her head up high and took a calming breath. Slowly, she made her way across the parking lot over to the sea of reporters. One noticed her approaching and recognized her as the mystery girl who had flung a drink in Senator Organa’s broody son’s face. He nudged his cameraman into attention as Rey got closer. Others began to pick up on the attention. By the time Rey was a couple feet away, the crowd was in a frenzy. 

“Miss! Miss! What’s your name?”

“How do you know Senator Organa?”

“Why did you throw a drink at her son?”

“You were seen entering the gala together. Are you two dating?”

“What were you arguing about?”

Rey held up her hands to try and quell the questions so she could speak. The reporters went silent. The only noise she could hear was the occasional click of a camera taking her picture. Her heart was nervously beating out of her chest. 

* * *

Across town, Ben Solo was resting his head in his hands while sitting in his Uncle Lando’s room. He had turned his phone off hours ago, after realizing that most of the calls were from news stations. Lando was turning up the volume on the TV, having settled which news program had the best vantage point of Ben’s apartment. 

“Looks like the reporters are all still there, kiddo. You might be spending the night with your ol’ Uncle Lando,” he said, stretching his arm out to pat Ben’s shoulder. 

Ben sighed, ran his hands through his hair, and leaned back on the couch. “I appreciate the offer, Lando, but I’ll find a hotel if they don’t clear out soon.” 

“How are you holding up?” Lando asked.

“I’m fine...Okay, maybe not fine, but I’ll get by. I just wish I knew how Rey was doing, what she’s thinking about all this.”

A surprised chuckle came from Lando. “I think you’re about to find out.” 

“What?”

Lando pointed towards the tv. On screen, Rey was standing in front of his apartment and microphones were being pointed in her face. She looked like she was about to be sick. Ben leaned forward as she began to speak. 

“I...uh...this is a message for Ben Solo. I’ve spent my whole life making plans. Plans gave me purpose and made me feel comfortable in the world. Knowing  _ what _ I was going to do and  _ how _ I was going to do it helped me take on the day. I loved plans. Then, I met you. You spent weeks throwing wrenches into my plans. You infuriated me, you challenged me, and you annoyed the hell out of me. But, despite all that, I found myself wanting you in my plans...no matter how much you ruined them.”

Ben laughed. Rey took another shaky breath.

“What I’m trying to say is that you were right: I am afraid of taking risks. I know that seems ironic right now. I mean, I’m doing an impromptu press conference to pour out my heart in hopes that you see it. But, even though I’m terrified, I think you’re worth it. Forget the application. The numbers don’t matter. All that matters to me is you. I’m willing to take the leap, but only if you hold my hand.”

Rey nodded her head and turned around to head inside the building entrance. With a jolt, Ben stood and grabbed his keys. “Shit, Lando, she thinks I’m at home! I need to get back right now.”

“Go get her, kiddo!” 

* * *

Rey was feeling confident as she got in the elevator and headed up to Ben’s floor. The adrenaline from standing in front of all those tv cameras made her legs feel like jelly on the ride up. She hoped against hope that Ben had seen her. If not, she’d just repeat herself at his door. She’d repeat it a thousand times for him if he asked. 

The elevator doors opened and she turned the corner to arrive at Ben’s door. Rey knocked three times. No answer. 

“Ben? Ben, it’s Rey. Are you home?” 

She sighed, turned around, and leaned her back against the door.  _ Maybe he had flown away to some luxurious resort in the Mediteranian to escape the spotlight. Maybe he met some gorgeous, spontaneous woman on the plane and now they’re having adventures and wild sex. _ The thought of Ben with someone else made her eyes water. Rey slid down the door and rested her head against her knees. That’s when the tears really began to fall. She was already too late.

Minutes passed and Rey sat crying on the floor in the hallway. Rey felt so tired, she really should get up and go back to Poe’s car, but she wasn’t quite ready to be done yet. She found herself in the middle of a tremendous pity party when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. 

Rey’s muffled voice sounded between her arms. “Poe, just give me a minute and I’ll meet you down at the car.” 

“Too bad. I was hoping you’d want to come inside and tell me all about your new career in television.”

Rey looked up in shock. Ben was kneeling in front of her wearing the same smug face he had the first day they met.

“Ben!” 

She looped her arms around his neck and Ben picked her up with ease. Rey crashed her lips against his in a desperate kiss as he unlocked the door and walked them inside. She whimpered when she felt him loosen his grip on her, until she realized it was only lay her down on the bed. Ben pulled away and kissed the tip of her nose. 

“Please say it again, Rey.” 

“Which part?” She blushed as he smoothed a hand down her ribcage and massaged her hip. The warmth of his hand was making her dizzy. 

A smirk played across his lips before he kissed her again. His kisses traveled along her jaw until he reached just behind her earlobe. “The part where you said I was right,” Ben whispered. 

Rey rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his shoulder. “I faced my biggest fear today on live television and all you managed to glean from it was that you were right?”

“Oh, yeah, baby. Say it again, but slower,” Ben chuckled into her neck. 

“You’re an ass.” Rey laughed and rolled them over so she could straddle him. Ben placed his hands on her thighs and smiled up at her.

“And you’re a wonder,” he said. Ben reached up to slide his fingers under the straps of her dress and slowly pulled them down. Rey couldn’t help but smile at the way his eyes seemed to glaze over after the fabric pooled around her waist, exposing her breasts to him. 

Ben sat up to pull off his t-shirt and Rey was quick to pepper his shoulders with kisses. The adrenaline was still working its way through her body and she needed Ben to help her relax. She quickly grabbed for his buckle and loosened it so he could kick off his pants and boxers. Then Ben divested Rey of her dress. He moved so he could settle his shoulders between her legs. 

“If memory serves, I owe you a big apology, isn’t that right?” He emphasized by kissing her inner thigh. Rey nodded as she felt his fingers loop around her panties so he could slip them down her legs. Ben stopped for a moment. Rey leaned up on her elbows. 

“Ben, what is it?” Her voice had gone husky. 

“I mean it. I truly am sorry that I lied to you. The fear of losing you kept me from telling you the truth from the beginning. I promise, I won’t ever lie to you again.” He looked so serious, his eyes boring into her. Rey sat up and kissed his cheek. For once, she didn’t feel very much like fighting with him. 

“I forgive you, Ben. Now, where were we?” Her tongue darted out to tease the shell of his ear. With a growl, Ben laid her back down and returned to his place between her legs. 

He proceed to profusely apologize until Rey was thoroughly satisfied. 

* * *

_ 1 year later… _

Champagne glasses clinked to prompt the bride and groom to kiss. They both laughed and leaned in for a tender kiss. Rose wiped a tear from her eye and adjusted the centerpiece at her table. She had planned this day to perfection, and a wonky centerpiece was not going to end up in the wedding photos if she had anything to do with it. The toasts were about to begin, so she made her way back to her seat at a table near the back of the reception hall. 

“You know, they really should be thanking me for all this.” 

“Ben!” Rey stomped her foot on Ben’s from under the table.

“Ow! Well, it’s true,” Ben shrugged with a teasing grin.

Rose shook her head as she watched the couple across from her. One year in and they still bickered as much as day one. Yet, the bickering had a different flavor to it. It always ended in them laughing at one another or screwing each other senseless. Sometimes both, according to Rey. 

An elderly man was just finishing up his speech, “...let’s all raise a glass to Kaydel and Mitaka!” 

After taking a sip of champagne, Rey whipped her head around to Ben. “I think the actual story goes that after your little scene, Kaydel was the one who went back to the restaurant to apologize to Mitaka. They both took it from there. So, don’t flatter yourself, honey. That’s my job,” she quipped and kissed his cheek. 

“Maybe so. But if I hadn’t pulled that stunt, she wouldn’t have had anything to apologize for in the first place,” he said with a wink. 

Rey stuck her tongue out at him, then took a bite of cake. Ben rested his hand on her knee as they listened to the rest of the toasts. After a couple rounds of dancing, they were back at the table alone.

Ben’s brows rose as he looked over Rey’s shoulder. “There’s a tense exchange currently happening behind you. Middle-aged couple. Wife looks upset. I noticed her husband was handsy with the catering girls all night. Looks like she noticed too. She’d be a great fit for us.” 

“Ben, not here. We’re at our friend’s wedding for god’s sake,” Rey said unconvincingly. 

He leaned over to nudge her arm with his shoulder. “Come on, just one pitch. Then we’ll be normal wedding guests the rest of the evening until you drink too much champagne and ask that I take you home so you can ravage me.” 

Rey laughed, “Fine, fine. Let’s get this over with; the sooner we do this, the sooner we can get to the ravaging part.” 

They both watched until the husband stormed off. At once, they stood and walked over to the wife who was draining a glass of whiskey on the rocks. Rey took the seat to her left, Ben to her right. 

“You know it really is a shame. The only men a woman can truly trust are her dad and her divorce lawyer,” Ben said as he slid his untouched whiskey over to the woman, who eyed him suspiciously. 

“Let me take a wild guess: you’re a divorce lawyer,” the woman said, raising one brow at him. 

“The best,” Rey added, grabbing the woman’s attention. 

“Who are you, his law partner?”

“No, no, I don’t dabble in divorce. Nasty business. I’m a matchmaker. My agency was just added to the Most Recommended list on Yelp. If you decide to move forward with a separation, I’d be more than happy to help you get back out in the dating world,” Rey said warmly. 

Ben and Rey both handed her their business cards. Rey patted her shoulder and said, “A woman like you deserves to be happy. We can get you not only what you need, but what you  _ want. _ Just think about it.”

“Thank you,  I- I will.” She held both cards in her hand and stared at them like they were the tickets to her salvation. The two stood up. 

Rey felt Ben’s hand on the small of her back as he led her back to their table. “That was a good line back there. Can I steal it?”

She stopped and wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck with a sly grin. “Hmm...for a price. How about we negotiate the terms in private. I’m sure there’s a coat closet somewhere around here.” 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on Twitter @MeedaWrites


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